Saved By Love Again
by Scorpinac
Summary: AU & XO with Sailor Moon A sequel to my sister, Nansjns, fic Saved By Love, it's several years later, and Queen 18 is in hot water with the Council Of The Fair. Fortunately, they have a remedy for that, which will ensnare Trunks, Rini, and Bra.


Okay, this just sort of came to me while re-reading my sister's fic, "Saved By Love". I own no one here, I'm just having fun!

As usual, **this** is emphasis, and _this_ is a thought.

------------------

Saved By Love Again

By

Scorpinac

The Fairy folk around her chortled and laughed. 18, Queen of the Forest Fairies, never felt so inflamed. Finally the Queen of the Dark Faerie, Beryl, walked up to her, her orbed scepter in her hand as usual.

"So, 18, you lost your little Saiyan pet?" she purred, her dark red, gossamer wings fluttering in the breeze. "Perhaps the Council of the Fair needs a new head?"

"Indeed!" chimed Michelle, Queen of the Sea Fairies. "If you cannot hold even one simple mortal..."

"Like you held the Saiyan Kakkarot?" 18 retorted. Michelle blanched.

"That was nine hundred years ago!" she snapped.

"What's your point?" 17, King of the Wood Elves, said. "You still lost him."

"Yes," Lunch, Queen of the Water Elves, stated, twirling her blond hair, "I think it is high time for a new council leader."

"And what would you suggest, sister?" Ami, Queen of the Water Fairies, asked.

"How have we always done it in the past?" chimed Amara, Queen of the Wind Fairies. "We shall have the Trial!"

"But we have no champions!" Launch, Queen of the Wind Elves, commented. Except for her blue hair and black eyes, Launch was almost indistinguishable from Lunch.

"That is easily arranged," Neherenia, Queen of the Dark Elves, commented offhandedly. "Scrounging up mortals is an easy enough task."

"For Elves and Fairies, perhaps," stated Tien, King of the Triclopses, "but others of us have more...difficulty...in acquiring them."

"Here, here!" Piccolo, King of the Goblins, agreed. Unlike most of the "Fair" races, as they all considered themselves to be, Triclopses and Goblins were united into one tribe each, rather than split into seven by particular divination, something none had any proper explanation for. It was just something that was.

"Well, that's **your** problem, isn't it?" asked Rei, Queen of the Fire Fairies.

"Indeed! It's not our fault you're, well, incompetent," snickered 19, King of the Ice Fairies.

"What was that?!" snarled Piccolo, and Tien looked upset as well.

"Come, nothing will come of fighting with ourselves," said 16, King of the Fire Elves.

"Yes, let us compose ourselves as gentlemen!" said Chiao-Tzu, the diminutive King of the Ice Elves.

"That's your opinion! I like a good fight!" said the last member of the group, Aluminum Siren, Queen of the Sea Elves.

"So be it!" declared 18. "In ten, no, fifteen mortal years time we shall meet at the Magic Arena for the Trial! Beryl, since you started this, you get to choose what the champions shall engage! And make sure it's something lethal!"

"But of course," Beryl stated. "I will begin right away..."

-----------

In her private palace in the Shadow Realm, Beryl glanced at her various scrolls, trying to decide upon a decent creature for the Trial. Like with all Fair folk, the time limit was really meaningless. Just then one of her servants entered.

"My Queen, have you decided?" the deep baritone asked.

"No, still thinking," she said. "Any word on the other's Champions yet, Dabura?"

"They are still choosing," the pink skinned demon told her.

"I see," Beryl went further down the scroll, then stopped. "Ooh, these look inviting. Dabura, be a dear and collect me three of these." she showed him what she had finally chosen. Dabura stared at them for a moment.

"Are you sure? Those are very nearly immortal, as we are," he said. "A mortal would be hard pressed indeed to slay even one."

"I know," Beryl said. "Now, fetch! I'll keep the bed warm." The demon shrugged, and left on his errand. Beryl chuckled as she immediately began to make plans for winning the Trial, and she knew just the weapon to do it, too!

-----------

Serenity and Endymion stared at the small child in the crib. The little girl had only recently been born, but already the aura of almost pure goodness permeated the air around her. They could only see good things ahead for her. The baby then opened her small reddish brown eyes and stared up at her parents with a smile, her arms reaching toward them as she giggled.

"Good morning, Rini," Serenity said as she reached down and lifted her up. "You're a good little girl, aren't you? Yes!"

"Your majesties," said the page boy, Melvin, from behind them. "The affairs of state await your perusals."

"Coming!" Endymion called, and Melvin left the room. Serenity laid her child back into the crib after quickly feeding her, and they turned to leave, telling the royal babysitter not to take his eyes off the child. Moments after they left, the fireplace suddenly ignited, and Rei entered the room, staring at the child in the crib like it was open prey.

"What...who...?" the babysitter stared. Rei glanced over at him and cast a quick spell, destroying his eyes and wiping his mind. She then moved to the crib, leaned in, and scooped the baby into her arms, who looked at her and her golden red wings in curiosity.

"My Champion," Rei purred, "you destiny is now mine..."

Hours later when Serenity and Endymion returned to check on their child again and see to her noon feeding, they found the babysitter a blind, blithering wreck babbling about "fire wings," and when Serenity saw the crib was utterly bare, she screamed...

-----------

It had been five years, and for Vegeta, it had been nothing but happiness. He and Bulma had married quickly, and their tale was quickly becoming a legend across the land. But in the last seven months their happiness had doubled with the birth of their first child...or, actually, children. Bulma had borne twins, both bearing the tail of the father. One was a wiggly little boy who wouldn't stop squirming, whom they named Trunks, and the other was a relaxed little girl that was named Bra. Vegeta had honestly not believed having children with Bulma would be possible, but then she proved him very wrong.

For the first year since his release from 18's grasp, Vegeta had worried and feared her return and revenge, but now all thoughts of that were in the past. Needing something to do to keep busy more than employment, Vegeta had joined the town guardsmen, and before long had risen to be a leader among them, as his raising by the Fairies had trained him to be.

After an otherwise uneventful day of routing bandits and highwaymen, Vegeta returned to the home he shared with his wife and children, which was still the same home Bulma had always lived in, her parents having, after much consternation over their daughter's choice, accepted him into their home. They had considered building a house for themselves, but so far, nothing desirable had presented itself.

"Bulma! I'm home!" he called, and Bulma dashed out of her lab to embrace him in a near smothering hug. They then went into the nursery where the twins were sitting in their playpen, Bra playing with a little stuffed dog and Trunks playing with blocks. "Hello, kids," Vegeta grinned at them, and they smiled up at their proud father.

"They're so adorable," Bulma smiled happily. "Everything's so perfect."

"They are indeed," Vegeta agreed as he reached down and scooped up both his children in his strong arms. They giggled happily at the attention.

"My, I was only expecting one, Vegeta," a very familiar voice said behind them. They felt themselves freeze, and turned to see 18 standing in the door frame, her gossamer wings folded behind her. "Hello, lover. It's been a long time."

"What...18...why..." Vegeta actually found himself at a loss for words, then quickly shifted the children into Bulma's arms and readied himself for combat. "Go now, or I will fight you!" he declared.

"Did you really believe you could leave me without me eventually exacting a toll?" 18 asked quietly.

"A toll?!" Bulma widened her eyes. "You never said anything about a toll five years ago!"

"Didn't I?" 18 asked. "No matter. The Trial has been declared, and now I need a new Champion. I will take one of your sons."

"Like hell you will!" Vegeta snapped, and waited for 18 to try something. A cry behind him made him snap his head around to see three other Fairies he used to know grabbing Bulma and attempting to pull either or both of his children from her arms. Without a thought to himself he charged the Fairies, and flung them about the room. They battled for several moments, then 18 rose a hand and caused a great flash that left everyone but her blind. Then she swung in and grabbed a child away from Bulma at random, and she and the other Fairies vanished.

"Farewell forever, Vegeta!" 18 cried as she disappeared. When their sight returned, Vegeta turned to Bulma and the child left in her arms.

"Which...which one did she..." Vegeta felt sick at the idea of either being stolen, and dreaded the answer as to which one was. Bulma stared at the baby which she still held, and felt herself pale.

"Bra...she took Bra!!!" she screamed. Vegeta sprang from the house and grabbed his stead, Auroris, who had left the Fairies with him. Bulma came out right behind him, her parents emerging to find out what was going on. "Where are you going?!" Bulma demanded.

"If I can still find it, the lair of the Fair Folk, to get her back!" Vegeta replied, and Bulma nodded. As she quickly told her parents what had happened, Vegeta spurred Auroris into action and sped into the forest just north of the village, aiming straight for the entry to the Fair Folk's lair. The Fairies had held him all his life, he would not let them have his daughter, so help him! Eventually he reached the place where he had always entered the Fair Folk's company, but nothing, no trace they had ever lived there at all, was to be found...

-----------

In their lair, 18 and her forest Fairies celebrated their acquisition. Their Champion had been procured, it was just a matter of preparing him for the Trial. Just then the mortal babe began to wail loudly. 18 sniffed the air and wrinkled her nose.

"He needs changing," she said with an air of annoyance.

"I can handle it!" a small blonde haired child like fairy called out and fluttered up. "I used to do it for Vegeta a lot!" 18 handed the child to her.

"Be quick about it, Marron!" she said. Marron nodded happily.

"Yes, ma'am!" Marron said, and found a tree stump and went to work. A moment later she called her Queen over again. "Uh, my Queen, this isn't a boy..." She pointed at the glaringly obvious physical difference.

"What?" Queen 18 snapped and glanced down at the half naked baby waiting for some one to finish changing it. "GOD DAMN IT!!"

-----------

Ten years later...

-----------

The lavender haired, blue-eyed boy slipped out of his window and began edging toward the town wall, wearing a simple, blue, sleeveless shirt and blue pants and black shoes over white socks and what looked to be a lavender belt. He'd wanted to properly explore the woods for months, and now was the day he'd do it! But no more than five steps from the house, the guard he always called 'scar face,' Yamcha, popped out and stared him right in the face.

"Going somewhere, Trunks?" he asked.

"Uh, just getting some fresh air," Trunks lied quickly.

"Uh, huh," Yamcha replied, then whistled. A moment later Vegeta and Bulma were charging out of the house like it was on fire or something. Trunks quietly groaned.

"Trunks! Where do you think you're going?!!" Vegeta snapped at him when they stopped.

"Nowhere," Trunks grunted, and went back toward the house.

"Good, because we've been invited to have an audience with Queen Serenity and King Endymion tomorrow, and we don't want to have to tell them our only son ran off and got himself kidnapped by Fairies!" Bulma snapped.

"Yeah, like that's gonna happen," Trunks muttered under his breath.

-----------

The following morning, Trunks helped his dad load up the cart, and then got in with his mother as Vegeta mounted Auroris to ride alongside the cart and keep his eyes open for anything. Yamcha also rode along the opposite side of the cart. He would never admit it aloud, but he still loved Bulma fiercely.

They rode out and stayed on the path most of the day, and by mid afternoon reached the beautiful white palace of the Queen and King. As they unloaded some of the things they intended to demonstrate before their majesties, a ball suddenly rolled up next to Trunks's foot. Trunks looked down at it, and a moment later a little girl all of two or three wearing a simple little dress came dashing up and grabbed the item in her small little hands before looking up at Trunks with her big, blue eyes under a flank of bright red hair held back in two small dog ears.

"Hello," Trunks said to her. "How do you do?"

"Chibi?" the little girl smiled at him. Just then a blonde haired woman with her hair in two long pony tails came out and towards the girl and Trunks. The girl turned and smiled wider. "Mama!" she cried.

"Oh, there you are, Chibi-Chibi!" the woman said, scooping the girl into her arms before looking at Trunks. "Hello, young man."

"Hello, Ma'am," Trunks said politely as he could. The woman wore a beautiful white dress, and an air of someone **very** important.

"Who are you talking to, son?" Vegeta asked, coming around the cart, seeing the woman.

"To me," the woman spoke first. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Serenity." Trunks's eyes went wide.

"You're the Queen?!" he cried, then dropped into a bow as he realized the little girl was obviously the Princess.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, my Queen," Vegeta bowed politely. "I am Vegeta, and this is my son, Trunks."

"Pleased to meet you, your highness!" Trunks said.

"Pleased to meet you, too," Serenity replied. "I'll see you at dinner for the demonstrations, then?"

"Yes, your majesty," Vegeta replied curtly, and Serenity left. When she was gone, Vegeta turned to his son with his usual slightly gruff manor. "Hurry up, son, we still have things to unload before we can relax."

"Yes, dad," Trunks said and helped his dad unload the rest of the needed items. As he helped Vegeta and Bulma sort the items out, he caught sight of someone watching them from the gate. A young boy about his own age with spiky black hair and black eyes in peasant clothes. As soon as his parents' backs were turned, Trunks scooted over to the gate to say hello, but the boy saw him and ducked around the corner.

Undeterred, Trunks swung around the corner and spotted the boy dashing off toward a nearby glade of trees standing before a large mountain.. Without considering the consequences, Trunks bolted after him, and soon it was a merry chase, until the new boy tripped on a rock just a few feet from the glade and fell on his hands and knees, allowing Trunks to catch up.

"Why did you run?" Trunks asked him.

"My master said never to let anyone see me when I got herbs and roots from near the castle," the boy replied. "I panicked. Please, **please** don't tell anyone I was near there!"

"I won't," Trunks said. "My name's Trunks, what's yours?" he offered his hand. The boy stared for a moment, then took his hand and Trunks helped him up.

"I'm Goten," he told Trunks.

"So, Goten, where do you live?" Trunks asked. "I'm just visiting from a far village for a few days."

"I live with my master in the woods over there," Goten pointed.

"Can I see?" Trunks asked. He knew any minute now his parents would come running to find him, so he wanted to get as much out of this as possible. Goten suddenly looked very nervous.

"My master doesn't really like visitors," Goten said.

"Oh?" Trunks asked. Suddenly Goten jerked, and pulled away from Trunks, turning toward the woods.

"I gotta go! My master's calling me!" he said.

"I didn't hear anything," Trunks said.

"He doesn't call like that," Goten said over his should as he made for the woods. Now Trunks was terribly curious to meet this "master" of Goten's, and followed his new would-be friend at a discreet distance. But partway into the woods he lost track of the boy somehow, and soon found himself lost, and panicking.

"Oh, no, oh, no, oh, no, this cannot be happening!!" Trunks wailed. If he ever found his way back to the castle, his parents would surely kill him!

"What's your problem?" a young, female voice asked him from behind. Trunks turned to see a young girl almost exactly his own age staring at him. She had the most beautiful red-brown eyes he'd ever seen, and her hair was a blazing pink done up in two cone-shaped buns from which large, puffy ponytails emanated. She was dressed in brilliant red-gold armor and a gorgeous crimson cape, a small ruby necklace around her neck and a sword at her side with a golden hilt encrusted with beautiful jewels, most of them red. The blade currently sat within its sheathe, a silver one with gold embroiderings.

"Oh, no," Trunks groaned. "A fairy really has come to steal me away!"

"I've come to steal no one," the girl told him. " I was sent by my Queen to slay the slave of the Mountain Troll Warlock, before the wretch could reveal our position to the monster. That and nothing else."

"Really?" Trunks said. "I don't suppose you could point me the way out of the woods and toward the castle while you're at it, could you?" The girl stared at him, and then whistled into the air. A moment later a bright red bird that almost looked like it was on fire fluttered into view. The bird, Trunks realized, was as big as they were, no, three times as big! And it wore a saddle, reins, and harness made of pure gold!

"Wh...wh...what is...?" he stammered for the words.

"This is my phoenix, Illumis," she told him. "Hop on, I'll take you out of the woods." Trunks moved up to the bird cautiously, as his father had always taught him to approach something uncertain or unknown. And Illumis didn't seem to want him near, either. But then the girl hopped up into the saddle like it was nothing, and reached out to help him on as well. Trunks reached out his hand trepidatiously, and allowed himself to be lifted onto the saddle behind the girl, Illumis relenting to his mistress's wishes.

"Why's Illumis look like he's on fire?" Trunks asked. Illumis squawked derisively at him.

"He's a phoenix! He's **made** of fire!" the girl replied as she snapped the reins to move the phoenix into flight. "That's why everything he wears is made of gold, it's the only substance he doesn't burn on contact, aside of that which is protected by Fairy magic." The girl indicated her necklace as she finished her explanation.

"By the way, my name's Trunks," Trunks introduced himself.

"My name's Rini," the girl replied. "It's nice to meet you, Trunks."

"You, too, Rini," Trunks replied. By this point they were flying through the forest at a good clip, just below the tree line, and Illumis easily dodged all the trees without touching them. After a few more moments in which Trunks told Rini a little about where he came from and tried to learn more about Rini, they dropped back to the ground, and Illumis squawked again.

"You'll find the castle you seek is only a small walking distance beyond these trees," Rini pointed toward the trees right before them.

"Gee, thanks," Trunks said politely. "Um, will we ever meet again?" He felt like he was echoing his mother, and just asking for trouble, but he honestly wanted to know.

"Perhaps," Rini said. "But I doubt it. The Trial is near..."

"What's..." Trunks started. But then Illumis shook slightly and Trunks found himself flung to the ground. "Oww!!"

"Illumis!!" Rini snapped, and the phoenix just raised its nose at Trunks, clearly not liking him being near his mistress. Rini then turned to Trunks. "I have to go," she said, and then turned the bird and flew back into the forest glade. Trunks watched her, then left the woods, emerging to find his parents and half the castle guard searching the area. _Well, time to face the music,_ he thought, and called out to them.

His parents ran over, and Bulma squeezed him in a bear hug, then turned him over to his father, who boxed his ears, then hugged him. Trunks told them about following Goten, but stated he only minorly got lost in the woods and then found his own way back. The guards recognized his description of Goten as that of an urchin who had stolen food and goods from the castle and the town nearby it many times over the last four years. It was said that the boy was bewitched by the way he so easily vanished, perhaps a rogue elf.

That evening, Bulma demonstrated many things for the King and Queen and little Princess, who enjoyed the demonstrations of the devices most of all. Chibi-Chibi clapped and clapped at the displays. As things wound down and they sat for dinner, Chibi-Chibi looked at Trunks intently, but Trunks's thoughts were elsewhere. Suddenly, Chibi-Chibi grabbed at something on Trunk's belt.

"Mine!" she cried, holding up her prize: a phoenix feather!

"What's this?" Serenity stared at it.

"Looks like a feather of some kind," Bulma said as she looked at it.

"Uh...probably fell from a nest up in a tree," Trunks quickly tried to cover it, but his father stared at him with a slight anger in his eyes.

"Son, is there something you didn't tell us?" he asked.

"No! Honest! Why would I lie?!" Trunks began sweat. Vegeta and Bulma just stared a moment longer.

"Yes, it appears to be no more than a bird's feather, but it is highly unusual," Endymion said as he looked the feather over, then returned it to his near-infant daughter, who giggled merrily and began playing with it. The dinner conversation picked up again, and Trunks's mind wandered back to where it was before...a beautiful young girl with vibrant pink hair...

-----------

That night Trunks and his family were allowed to sleep in the guest rooms in the upper part of the castle, and he even had a small room to himself, which was good, 'cause he could hear his mom and dad moaning and groaning in pleasure in the next room over.

_What's that stone made of, anyway? The thinnest pebbles in the pond?!_ he thought, when a slight rapping at the wooden window shades got his attention. He got up and opened the shades to look. Down in the courtyard holding a few small stones was Goten.

"Hey, Trunks!" he called lightly. "Can you come play? My master's giving me the night off!" Trunks thought about this a moment. Could he really pull this one off? He'd never done it before. Then again...

"Be right down!" Trunks called back, turned, got dressed, and quietly slipped from his room and down the nearest stairs to the courtyard. Once there, he skipped over to Goten, who was smilingly jovially.

"All right!" he grinned. "Let's go!"

"Where are we going?" Trunks asked.

"Just to the edge of the woods. I wouldn't want you to get lost again," Goten said.

"Okay," Trunks answered, and they headed for the exit of the castle, only to be cut off by Yamcha.

"You just don't learn, do you, Trunks?" he asked. "Who's your friend?" But before Trunks could answer, Goten had snapped up his hands.

"Papara Papara!" he cried, and Yamcha dropped to the ground, sound asleep. Trunks was shocked.

"How did you do that?" he asked.

"Just a little trick I learned by watching my master," Goten explained. "Come on, let's go!" Goten then skipped out of the castle and Trunks followed behind. They reached the forest, and played a little game of tag, hide and seek, and they even climbed trees. Goten listened tentatively as Trunks told him about his life, but no matter how much Trunks asked, Goten said very little about himself, only that he had been in service to his master since before he could remember. He refused to even tell Trunks his master's name.

Eventually the fun little tirade ended, and Goten turned towards the woods.

"I have to go, now," Goten said. "My master wants me again."

"How do you know?" Trunks asked.

"He calls me in my mind," Goten explained, and walked off into the forest. Trunks watched him go, too afraid of getting lost again to follow. Once Goten was gone, Trunks turned to go back to the castle when a familiar voice called from behind a tree.

"Trunks!" it called. Trunks turned, and standing there right by the tree, half hidden behind it, was Rini.

"Rini," Trunks turned fully and smiled. "You came to see me?"

"I was watching," she confessed. "You and the Troll's slave. You looked like you were enjoying yourselves."

"Yeah, Goten's a lot of fun," Trunks agreed, then blinked. "Wait...slave? Goten was the one you were..."

"Uh huh," Rini answered. "But watching him, I couldn't do it. I think he...it doesn't matter. Trunks..."

"Yes, Rini?" Trunks asked, and Rini came out and took his hand, then pulled him toward the tree, behind which Illumis was waiting.

"Will you...fly with me tonight?" she asked. Trunks stared for a moment, then beamed.

"Sure!" he said, and then boarded the waiting phoenix. Rini moved him into flight, and Illumis launched into the air, above the trees, and soon above even the clouds!

Trunks stared at what lay before him in the clouds. For as far as the eye could see there were dozens of phoenixes, and large scaley lizards that must have been dragons! On many of both species rode small fairies, both male and female. Trunks stared in amazement and joy.

"Wow!" he cooed. "Rini, this is incredible!"

"I know!" Rini replied. "We have to ride phoenixes and dragons because fairy wings can't fly this high!"

"But Rini," Trunks said staring at her, "you don't have wings!"

"Uh..." Rini blinked. "That's true..."

"Rini," Trunks said, "when we first met earlier today, you said you served a Queen."

"Yes," Rini said.

"Um, would her name be...18?"

"No," Rini said. "18 is Queen of the Forest Fairies, who ride only the purest stallions. They who ride the Phoenix and the Dragon are the Fire Fairies."

"Forest Fairies? Fire Fairies?" Trunks blinked. "How many kinds are there?"

"Seven," Rini answered. "Forest, Fire, Ice, Wind, Water, Sea, and Dark. And the same divinations go to Elves and Trolls, though almost all Trolls are gone now since the Fairies ganged together to destroy them when the Ice Trolls ganged the Troll tribes together to slay all of magic and mortal kind years ago. Only a handful remain, including the Mountain Troll Warlock."

"You say Mountain Troll," Trunks said. "Are there no Mountain Elves or Mountain Fairies?"

"Not anymore," Rini said. "My Queen tells me they all died of a mortal plague ages ago, even their Queens."

"Whoa..." Trunks stared. He then smiled kindly. "Rini..."

"Yes?"

"I really like being with you." Rini blinked, then smiled warmly, the first warmth Trunks had seen in her.

"I like being with you, too, Trunks," she admitted. Illumis squawked at this, but did nothing else. They flew around just out of sight of the other Fairies, as well as the dragons and phoenixes, for a little while longer, then Rini steered Illumis to the ground right in front of the castle, and Trunks hopped off.

"The same tree, tomorrow night!" Trunks said. "We'll fly together then!"

"O...okay!" Rini hesitated, then beamed. "And if you want, I'll teach you to ride him!"

"Sure!" Trunks said as Illumis squawked his shock at the suggestion. "How different from riding Auroris can it be?"

"I'll see you then," Rini smiled, then urged Illumis into the air. Trunks merrily slipped back into the castle and up to his chamber, by this time far quieter as his parents had finally passed out, and slipped into bed after tossing off his clothes and getting back into his night shirt. It took only moments to fall asleep, and all his dreams were of him flying through the clouds by Rini's side on his own dragon by Illumis, Rini telling him she loved him, and him willingly returning her love in kind. _So what if she steals me away?_ he thought as he passed out. _She's perfect..._

-----------

Rini rode Illumis back to the hidden Fire Fairy Lair on the mountain, and hitched him to a perch before walking back to her private rooms. As she passed through the area, a voice called to her.

"Rini!" Rei called as she fluttered forward. "Is the Troll's slave dead?"

"He gave me the slip, my Queen," Rini bowed to her politely. "Is he truly that dangerous?"

"There is a great chance he saw the location of our lair!" Rei stated. "I will not have that Troll's filth in my domain! Either slay the boy, or make him lead you to his master, and slay the Toll itself! There are only six days left til the Trial!"

"Yes, my Queen," Rini submitted, and started to head over to her rooms when Rei grabbed her by the arm.

"What were you doing an hour ago?" she demanded.

"What, my queen?" Rini blinked.

"The Elder Dragon Shen Lon saw you on Illumis above the clouds. He says there was someone riding with you," Rei clarified.

"As you say, he is an Elder Dragon, perhaps his eyes are going bad," Rini said, praying Rei accepted the lie.

"Shen Lon is my personal steed," Rei said. "Now why would he lie to ME?!"

"Okay, okay," Rini faltered. "I found a mortal child in the woods and returned the kid to the clearing before the castle. The brat wanted to know how high Illumis could fly, so I showed him..."

"HIM?!" Rei snapped. "If you're planning to try and free yourself just before the Trial..."

"Trunks doesn't even know I'm mortal yet, I haven't told him!" Rini snapped, then panicked when she realized what she'd just done.

"Trunks?" Rei asked. "You bothered to learn his name?"

"Uh...uh..." Rini stammered. Rei tossed her off, Rini nearly flopping to the floor before gaining her balance.

"Return to your rooms, I don't want you leaving before dawn!" Rei commanded. "And when you search for the Troll's slave again, I'm sending Mai with you!"

"What?!" Rini stared. "I don't need that bumbler with me!" Rei's stare could have bored holes through someone, and Rini immediately relented and returned to her rooms. There she flopped on her bed.

"Now how do I meet with Trunks tomorrow?" she moaned.

-----------

For Trunks, the next day went by very quickly, helping his parents with the various machinery in their wagon and entertaining their hosts. By luck, Yamcha was unsure if the previous night's events had happened at all, and had not yet reported them to Bulma or Vegeta.

One thing that got his attention briefly was a ten year old painting in the hall to their guest rooms of the King and Queen holding a baby that was not Chibi-Chibi. He asked a guard about it, but the guard, an extremely vain blonde fellow, refused to say anything.

That evening, after everyone else went to bed, Trunks quietly slipped out of the castle, this time using an alternate exit he'd spotted while working during the day to avoid Yamcha outright, and made for the edge of the woods. As he got there, he bumped into Goten coming out.

"Oh, hi Trunks!" he said cheerfully. "I was just on my way to see you!"

"That's nice," Trunks told him. "Um, I'm actually meeting someone, could we maybe talk later?"

"Oh? Who's that, Trunks?" Goten asked. Just then they heard someone coming out of the woods, and Rini came dashing up. She stopped in front of them and panted, clearly tired out.

"Sorry, my Queen set a babysitter on me and I had to ditch her," Rini panted. "Fortunately, she's a moron!"

"Rini, this is Goten," Trunks said by means of introduction. "Goten, Rini."

"Are you nuts!!" Goten shrieked jumping back. "She serves the Fire Fairies! She's in league with Queen Rei!"

"Huh?" Trunks blinked. At this point Rini caught her breath and looked up, seeing Goten for the first time.

"Oh, the Troll's slave," she said. "I thought it was someone important."

"Huh?" Trunks blinked. "Goten, you're a slave?!"

"Sorta," Goten said. "My master found me as a baby abandoned in the woods, at least that's what he tells me. He took me in cause he said he needed a helper to run errands and clean the house."

"And spy on us!" Rini added. "My Queen gave orders for your demise, which I've decided to ignore for now." Trunks absorbed all this quietly, pondering. Luckily, he had inherited his mother's smarts.

"Goten, Rini told me your master was a Mountain Troll Warlock," he said. "Is that true?"

"So he's a Mountain Troll, so what?!" Goten snapped. "What's your interest in this girl, anyway?" Trunks blushed and twiddled his fingers, not sure how to respond, but Rini and Goten got the message pretty clear, and Rini blushed back with a tiny smile, while Goten went white. "That is sick," he said.

"What?!" Trunks tried to look innocent, then noticed something shiny on the ground. He bent down and picked it up - a gold star shaped locket, that played a lovely melody when he opened it, a small gold crescent moon rotating around the center in a clear glass circle around said center.

"Hey, when did I...?" Rini blinked and snatched it away. "To think I almost lost this."

"What is it, a Fairy charm you're gonna use on us?" Goten asked, still maintaining his distance from Rini.

"No, stupid! It's my birth certificate," Rini replied.

"Your what?" Trunks blinked.

"It's all I have," Rini said. "The Fairies tell me it was around my neck when I was brought into their company as a baby."

"As a baby..." Trunks's eyes widened. "Rini, are you mortal?"

"Yes, a stolen child," Rini confirmed. Trunks then got serious.

"I can free you, Rini!" he cried. "I know how to do it! I just have to grab on to you when the Fairies next take their moonlight ride and hold on till dawn! Then they'll have to let you go!"

"How do you know that?!" Goten asked incredulous.

"It's how my mom saved my dad from Queen 18!" Trunks explained.

"Uh, Trunks," Rini said. "How would you do that, anyway? We take our rides on phoenixes and dragons. Are you saying that you can fly?" Trunks blanched on that one. While he knew his dad could somehow fly without wings, he'd shown him several times, he himself had never figured out how to do it.

Before he could think of anything, someone else emerged from the forest, a woman in a simple grey dress and beautiful white-pink gossamer wings edged in red. Her hair was black and worn to the shoulder, and her eyes were a very pretty blue, her lips full and red. A Fairy dagger, sheathed, was at her side.

The Fairy Woman stared at them, then drew her blade.

"Rini, why is that slave of the Troll's still breathing?" she asked. "And who the hell is the other boy?!"

"Mai, please, the Troll's slave is harmless, and Trunks is my friend!" Rini cried in desperation.

"Harmless?!" Goten sneered. "You don't know me very well, do you? Papara Papara!!" Goten's hands snapped up and a blast of energy blew at Mai, and Goten dashed away. Trunks stared, not sure what to do. Once Goten was gone, Mai turned to him.

"Well, you won't escape," she said. "Queen Rei is quite upset with you for soliciting Rini's affections this close to the Trial..."

"The what?" Trunks asked. "What is this...Trial?"

"You won't have to worry about that," Mai sneered, and began to approach.

"Mai, STOP!" Rini snapped, and Mai and Trunks turned to her to see Rini holding her sword out, pointed at Mai.

"You would dare defy Rei?" Mai asked her. "She said specifically for you not to leave the Lair!"

"I won't come back," Trunks lowered his head. The two girls turned to him. Rini felt her heart sink. She wasn't sure why she felt so strongly about this boy, but she did.

"What do you mean?" Mai asked.

"I don't want Rini getting in trouble because of me," Trunks said. "I'll leave quietly, and I won't come back."

"Fine," Mai said. "We're going."

"No, Trunks!" Rini cried and started to dash forward, but Mai grabbed her and fluttered upward. In moments they were gone. Trunks heaved a sigh, and turned to go. Then he blinked and looked back. Rini's locket had fallen from her hand again, and lay on the ground.

-----------

The next four days were interminable, Trunks feeling heavily depressed, and Rini, now quarantined in the Fire Fairies lair until the Trial, just as depressed. Trunks went about his assigned chores quietly, refusing to answer his parents' questions, wanting only to see Rini one last time before they went home.

Off and on Goten would turn up to play, but Trunks only got into it halfheartedly. The Fairy woman Mai, along with a fox demon in black footie pajamas and a curved sword named Shiao, continued to hunt Goten on Queen Rei's orders, but Goten easily gave the two ding-a-lings the slip time and time again.

On the fourth day, they began packing for the trip home, and Trunks resigned himself never to see Rini again. As he went to double check their rooms for anything they accidentally left, he again passed the portrait of the King and Queen and mysterious baby. He glanced at it once more, then stopped. He froze. Staring at the picture, he noticed for the first time a small gold locket around the baby's neck. A locket...shaped like a star!

He quickly pulled Rini's star locket from his pocket where he'd been keeping it since she'd dropped it by the woods and compared it to the one in the picture, which was difficult as the painting was a good head above him. But he was certain...it was the same locket! The baby in the picture...was Rini!

"She's royalty...and she doesn't even know..." Trunks sighed, and popped open the locket to listen to its melodic tune. Somehow, it comforted him, though he wasn't sure why. Just then Queen Serenity came up behind him holding Chibi-Chibi, and froze at the sound of the tune - a tune all too familiar, and long thought lost.

Serenity listened there for a moment, memories of a time long past resurfacing, her heart slowly shuddering, shaking, and finally reaching the shattering point. In her arms, Chibi-Chibi just stared, wondering what was wrong with her mommy. Finally, Serenity found her voice and snapped at the boy before her.

"Where did you get that?!" she cried, and Trunks jumped and turned to see her. He looked at her only a moment before deciding.

"Near the woods, where Rini dropped it," he answered, and watched Serenity's face go white, tears brimming at the tips of her eyes. "That's her, isn't it? In the picture. She's your daughter, isn't she?"

"You've seen her?!" Serenity breathed. "You've seen my baby?!" Chibi-Chibi blinked at the description.

"No!" she cried. "Me you baby! Me!"

"Hush," Serenity said to Chibi-Chibi dismissively, never taking her eyes off Trunks. "Where is she? Tell me!"

"With the Fire Fairies," Trunks told her. "She said she was taken there as a baby. She answers to someone named 'Queen Rei'." Serenity's eyes flared, emotions running through them at a fast pace. As she just stared ahead for a moment, her hold on Chibi-Chibi slackened, and the small girl flopped out of her arm and onto the floor with a small thump and brief cry.

"Waaah! Oof!" Chibi-Chibi cried out as she went down and landed on her little behind. She stared up at her mother in wonder. "Mommy?"

"THAT BITCH!!" Serenity screamed, and slammed her fist into the wall. "How dare she, how dare she!!"

"How dare I, what?" a female voice asked, and they all turned to see a young woman leaning against the far wall wearing a beautiful red dress with gold lining, no sleeves, and dainty little red heels. A slit in the front gave it a V-shape across her cleavage starting with a point at the center of her bosom and going upward to her shoulder, where the top of the dress dropped into a curve at the shoulder into a flower petal like style. She also wore a gold coronet on her forehead with a fire red stone at its center. Her eyes were coal black, and her hair raven as the night and going all the way to just past her waist. The most distinguishing feature of all were the two large red gossamer wings attached to her back that turned a pinkish tint at the edges. This was most definitely a true Fairy, like Mai.

"You!" Serenity hissed. "You took her, didn't you? You took my child!"

"You knew there would be a price to pay eventually," the Fairy woman sneered. "Consider your debt paid in full. Rini has developed exactly the way I needed her to. Soon **I** shall rule the Council of the Fair!" Suddenly Trunks knew **exactly** who he was looking at!

"You're...Rei!" he cried, closing the locket and stuffing it back in his pocket. By this time Endymion came up behind Rei and simply stared at what was going on, and Rei then stood up straight and took three steps forward.

"Indeed, little boy. You must be Trunks," Rei replied. "Rini's quite taken with you. She has pleaded every night for three nights to be allowed to see you one more time."

"Let her go!" Serenity growled. Rei sneered at her.

"No," she replied. "She is mine, by right of commerce."

"What are you talking about?!" Trunks snapped, and Serenity realized that Endymion could hear them clearly.

"She's just spinning tales!" Serenity cried. Rei blinked, then glanced over her shoulder and chuckled.

"Time for the truth, is it?" she grinned. "Time for King-y boy to learn what you **really** are!"

"Damn you, Rei!" Serenity swore.

"Shall I tell him?" Rei continued, chortling to herself. "How you used magic to summon me and begged me to sell you the purest beauty that you, a mere plain commoner, might win your precious little Prince, that you might outshine those other two hussies of Princesses that were after him, what were their names again? Oh yes, Mina and Trista, wasn't it? How you asked me to create false records of a kingdom you 'represented', that you might be eligible for his hand. By the way, how is that pitiful babysitter I drove to madness and blinded when I came for your daughter?"

"He's locked away in an asylum...you did it personally?" Serenity gasped in shock, expecting heavy reprisals, possibly even an execution, in her near imminent future.

"But why did you take Rini?!" Trunks cried.

"As payment of course," Rei said. "When I kept my end of the deal with Serenity, or should I say 'Serena', the blacksmith's daughter?, I told her that one day I would return to collect payment for my services, in one form or another. And at the time her child fit my needs quite ably." Rei had not one shed of remorse in her face.

"The blacksmith's..." Endymion breathed in shock.

"Endymion, I'm sorry!" Serenity choked in terror. Suddenly another voice cut in.

"Pretty!" Chibi-Chibi cried as she grabbed Rei's wing, pulling herself to her feet. Serenity felt herself go blue with terror, and Endymion just stared, still dumbfounded. Chibi-Chibi just stared up at the shocked Rei with out any fear, her innocence and naivety making her blissfully ignorant. She smiled as she felt the smooth silk-like wing.

"Chibi-Chibi want wings!" she said cheerfully, and Rei recovered herself, bent down, and scooped the little girl in her hands.

"That is one thing," Rei said to her, "that even **I** cannot give." She then turned and handed the girl to Serenity, who blinked in surprise. "Yours, I believe."

"You don't want to steal her?" Serenity took her second daughter back quickly.

"The Law of the Fair say we can rob a family of their boons but one a generation, which I have already done in the name of our bargain," Rei explained. "I cannot take another child of your family line until the girl in your arms becomes a mother, and then only her offspring are viable."

"So that's why 18 never came back for Trunks," Vegeta's voice boomed across the hall. Trunks looked around Rei to see his parents by Endymion.

"She'd already taken Bra, she wasn't allowed to come back for him," Bulma stated, awe and relief in her voice.

"Not even in trade, which I understand she wanted most dearly," Rei confirmed. "The hybrid girl's chances at the Trial have been currently placed at 500 to 1, while **my** champion, Rini, is at 25 to 1!"

"There it is again!" Trunks snapped. "Rini mentioned it, that moron, Mai, mentioned it, you've mentioned it, but no one will tell me what it is! What is this 'Trial" you keep talking about!"

"If you can find a way to the Arena tomorrow," Rei said grinning, "then you will see for yourself. Oh, and 'Serena', when the Trial is finished, I might return Rini to you. I fail to see what further use I will have of her then." Rei thought for a moment, then chuckled. "Aside of enjoying having her bow to me at all times, that is." For Serenity, this was clearly the straw that broke the camel's back! She shoved Chibi-Chibi into Trunks's arms, and glared death at the Fairy Queen!

"You BITCH!" Serenity roared, and charged her, but Rei just cackled delightedly and burst into a bright, crimson flame, and vanished. "NOOOO!" Serenity wailed in anguish. Just then two guards came running in, the conceited blonde one, and another with short, red, curly hair and a small bandana around his neck.

"Is there a problem, your Majesty?" they asked. No one answered. Finally Vegeta spoke up.

"Well, I feel this is an internal affair, so we'll leave you to it," he said. "Come on, Trunks, time to go."

"You leave?" Chibi-Chibi asked Trunks, her eyes imploring. Then in a shrill voice she cried, "NO! MINE!" and squeezed Trunks as hard as she could.

"Huh?" Trunks blinked.

"Oh, don't you know," the blonde guard said. "The little Princess has been admiring you almost since you arrived. She thinks you're the cutest thing ever." He then brushed his hair back, exuding an air of utmost conceit. "One day she'll learn what true beauty is," he mused, "And then she'll faun over wishing she was me!"

"Blue...go...away!" Serenity growled.

"Huh?" Blue blinked.

"Silver, get him out of here!" Serenity snapped, and Silver, the red haired guard, grabbed Blue and pulled him away down the hall. At this point Endymion finally walked over to his wife, who was sitting on the floor on her knees, her eyes brimming with tears. She looked up at him as Trunks handed him Chibi-Chibi, who had to be practically pried off the boy.

"No! Mine, mine, mine!" she wailed to no effect.

"Serenity?" Endymion asked.

"Serena," she sobbed quietly. "It's Serena." Then she blurted out her whole story, how she had first seen Endymion when she was eight and had instantly felt her heart swoon, how she had gone to the trouble to learn all she could about him, his likes, his dislikes, his hobbies, everything, and how she had felt so bitterly jealous of the two Princesses, Mina and Trista, who had come to win his hand, how she felt they were flaunting their position and looks to win him over when they knew nothing about him, and how, finally, she had "borrowed" a book from the church libraries on summoning members of the Fair Folk that she might claim a wish, and had summoned Rei.

"The rest you know," she finished. "I'll understand if you send Chibi-Chibi to an orphanage and me to the chopping block." Endymion had been quiet throughout all, and then leaned down and raised her chin.

"You'll always be Serenity to me," he said, and kissed her lovingly.

"Oh, Endymion!" Serenity cried and grabbed her husband in a hug. Trunks then made a quiet decision, his determination set. Vegeta moved toward his son.

"Come, Trunks, it's time we left," he said quietly.

"No," Trunks said. "I'm not going."

"What?" Vegeta scowled.

"What are you thinking, young man?!" Bulma snapped.

"I have to free her!" Trunks replied. "I'm not going anywhere until I know Rini is safe and home!"

"You're talking nonsense, boy!" Vegeta said. "You don't know where these Fairies live, or where this Arena is! How can you possibly help her?!"

"You were raised by Fairies!" Trunks snapped. "Don't you know where this 'Arena' is?"

"No, 18 never mentioned it. This is the first I've ever heard of the place," Vegeta grudgingly admitted.

"Then there's only one other who can maybe get me there," Trunks said quietly. "I just hope paying a Troll is less unpleasant than paying a Fairy."

"A Troll?!" all the adults snapped.

"Yeah," Trunks said. "A Mountain Troll Warlock, and I know just the person to lead me to him." And with this, Trunks dashed off, out to the courtyard, and out of the castle, and turned towards the woods.

"GOTEN!!" he called. "GOTEN! GOTEN, WHERE ARE YOU!! I NEED TO TALK TO YOU RIGHT NOW!!" He waited, then yelled toward the forest again. By this time Vegeta, Bulma, Serenity, and Endymion, still holding Chibi-Chibi, had caught up with him, and were staring at him intently.

"How do you know of the Mountain Troll?" Endymion asked. "And how do you know the name of his pet slave?"

"I met Goten the day we got here," Trunks said. "He's my friend, kind of. The Fairies want him dead."

"They gotta catch me, first!" Goten said, popping up out of a bush. "What do you want, Trunks?" In reply, Trunks ran right into Goten, slamming him into the castle wall. By now Yamcha, Blue, and Silver, along with several others had arrived to see what was going on. Goten just stared in surprise.

"Take me to your master, Goten!" Trunks demanded. "Take me now!"

"Huh?!" Goten blinked. "But I can't..." Then he paused, as though he was listening to something, said, "My master says he will gladly grant you an audience, alone."

"Fine," Trunks said, letting Goten go, and Goten lead the way to the woods, the grown ups started to follow, and Goten paused and looked at them.

"I said Trunks only," Goten said.

"I'm not letting my son go to a Troll of any kind alone," Vegeta said sternly, knowing only too well what Trolls were like – he'd killed enough of them.

"We know of you, thief, and you will now lead us to your master that we may end his crimes upon our kingdom," Endymion declared.

"Fine, the hard way, then," Goten sighed, the turned fully to face them and rose his hands. Trunks quickly looked away, but the others didn't know what was going on. "Papara Papara!" Goten cried, and all the adults passed out on the spot. "Okay, let's go," he said, and he lead the way into the woods once more, Trunks following carefully behind. And, having not been hit by the spell because she was trying to reach out and grab Trunks, Chibi-Chibi quickly got out of her father's arms and trotted off right behind them both.

-----------

Rini clanged her sword against the Fairy Warrior's, easily parrying his blow, and then counter swung, nicking his wing. She had trained like this since she could walk and hold a sword at the same time, and now was quite adept. Tomorrow...she didn't really want to think about it, even though she knew so little, other than it was very important to Rei.

Rini went on the attack, and in moments disarmed the Fairy Warrior and had him at her mercy. A small applause went through the crowd observing.

"Well done, Rini!" one female cheered. "The Trial is as good as won!"

"Soon all her training will be put to the ultimate test!" another cried.

"Thank you for your praise," Rini stated. But today, her words felt empty, automatic. Something had changed when she'd first laid eyes on Trunks, and for a while she hadn't been sure what it was, but now she knew. She had lost her heart to him, in one single instant. All she could think about was being with him. The Trial didn't even matter anymore, despite being just one day left away. All she wanted now was to go and be with Trunks, if only for a little while.

"Continue training!" Rei's voice came from behind. They all turned to look at her. Her eyes were fiercer than usual. "You heard me!" she snapped. "You will continue training until nightfall, then go straight to bed! The prize is within our grasp, and I will not risk it now!" Rini nodded, the Fairy Warrior reclaimed his sword, and they began again. And still, the only thing on Rini's mind was a lavender haired boy, the most beautiful creature she'd ever seen...

-----------

Trunks wasn't sure how long he'd followed Goten through the woods, but eventually they emerged from them near a slightly hidden nook at the base of the mountain. Goten raised his hands toward the stone wall quietly, and spoke.

"Zarory Tanopy!" he said, and an entrance in the wall appeared, big enough to admit a man easily three feet larger than Trunks's dad! Trunks was impressed, and quietly followed Goten in. After only a foot or two, he saw something shuffling forward.

"So, you're the one my boy's been spending his time with, eh?" the voice came crisp and clear, a high, sort of squeaky voice. Trunks froze, and the Mountain Troll stepped into the light of the entry way, his hands behind his back.

He was short, no taller than Trunks or Goten, and a brownish shade with a slightly pointed snout and big, bulbous green eyes. He had no hair on his head, and looked quite wrinkled. He wore a blue skirt and black shoes, with a black shirt and belt with a white buckle bearing a letter "M" stenciled upon it. To complete the ensemble was a long flowing orange cape that went down from his shoulders to the ground.

"Yeah, that's me," Trunks answered. "You the Mountain Troll?"

"Yes, indeed," the Troll answered back. "And I do have a name, you know. I am Babidi. A pleasure to meet you, Trunks."

"How do you know my name?" Trunks demanded.

"He knows all that I do," Goten said. "Even what I don't tell him."

"It is my way to know every dirty little secret I can," Babidi chortled.

"Chibi?" a small voice said nervously, and Trunks swung around to see Chibi-Chibi standing in the doorway.

"What the?!" he cried.

"Where'd she come from?" Goten asked.

"A present? You shouldn't have," Babidi grinned, and rose one hand out toward the girl. "Papara Papara!" he cried, and Chibi-Chibi suddenly floated over next to Babidi, and the entryway closed.

"Leave her alone!" Trunks turned on Babidi.

"Oh, I won't hurt her," Babidi said. "I just didn't want to leave my door open. It gets drafty." Trunks wasn't sure he believed him or not, but didn't have much choice now anyway. "Come, let us go into my main chamber and talk," Babidi invited him, and they all moved forward into the cave.

They walked out into a large cavern that was richly furnished with comfortable sitting chairs and an ornate table with four wood chairs around it. A fire place burned to one side, though Trunks couldn't tell where the smoke was escaping to, and a small cauldron sat in it to one side, some shelves to the other. A few ornately designed cupboards sat against one wall to the east, flanking another corridor leading further into the mountain.

"That leads to the sleeping chambers and the bath," Goten explained when he noticed Trunks looking at it.

"Oh," Trunks replied, and looked at the rest of the room. A bookcase filled with tomes sat near the sitting chairs, in the center of them on a small table sat a crystal ball. Delicately woven tapestries depicting scenes of magical races in various acts, be they battle, romance, or simply in stride upon some beast of burden, decorated the walls. Trunks felt mildly disturbed at seeing one tapestry depicting two Fairies, one male, one female, partaking in a certain compromising activity. Before he could say anything about it, Chibi-Chibi gasped at the sight of it.

"What they do?" she squealed. "They all nakey!"

"Hmm?" Babidi blinked at her, then glanced at the tapestry. "Oh, that. Yes, you humans do have a thing about keeping newborns ignorant about such necessities, don't you?" And without a word he waved a hand and the tapestry rolled itself up into a nice little scroll, a rope wrapping it tightly. Babidi then moved over to the cauldron and lifted the ladle sitting in it and stirred calmly. Goten hopped into a chair at the table and picked up a glass and began drinking from it. Chibi-Chibi went over to a sitting chair and climbed in.

"So, Trunks," Babidi started. "Why did you wish an audience with me?"

"I wanna make a deal," Trunks said, standing as straight as he could. Babidi took a sip of the brew in the cauldron, then glanced back to Trunks.

"What sort of deal are you interested in?" Babidi asked.

"I want to go to the Fairy's 'Arena' by tomorrow, to see something called the 'Trial'," Trunks told him. Babidi stared at him a moment, then took another sip of the brew before he stirred it further.

"The Arena, huh?" he asked. "I knew it was being prepared again for the first time in five hundred years, but I didn't think they were having the Trial. 18 must have done something really stupid."

"What do you mean?" Trunks blinked. "Do you know what the 'Trial' is?"

"But of course I do!" Babidi replied. "You see, the seven Fairy tribes, seven Elf tribes, and the Triclops and Goblin tribes are all ruled by their own King or Queen, mostly Queens. These Kings and Queens long ago, about twenty thousand years or so, got together in a neutral place of meeting, and decided to make themselves into a joint ruling body over all their tribes, known as the Council of the Fair."

"Didn't the Troll tribes want to join, master?" Goten asked.

"Oh, they were invited," Babidi replied, turning to face them. "But they declined. Don't ask me why, I don't really know. They just opted out. I do know one thing, though. Even then ol' King Cold, leader of the Ice Trolls, was gaining power among all Trolls. It didn't really surprise me when, eight thousand years ago, the Trolls declared mutual all out war against the Fairies and the Elves under his primary leadership. As to the Arena and the Trial, well, when the Council of the Fair was first formed, they all argued for something on the order of six or seven hundred years as to who would lead the Council.

Well, finally King Piccolo of the Goblins suggested they have a Trial to determine who would lead. He suggested that they each acquire a mortal champion, and have them face off against each other in combat to the death, and the 'owner' of the last survivor would become the leader of the Council.

They all agreed to this, but 16, King of the Fire Elves, who's always had a soft spot for the mortals within his dominion, suggested an alternative to them fighting against each other in a simple tournament or free-for-all. He suggested they all fight at once against a powerful beast of one kind or another - a dragon, a griffin, a wild unicorn, even a manticore or minotaur - something normally fairly difficult to slay, even by mortals. The beast chosen for the First Trial was an elderly, put very powerful, Satyr named Mustard. The winner of that Trial was Piccolo's own champion, some ego-bloated mortal fool named Satan, or something like that.

There have been fourteen Trials since then, called whenever the current leader of the Council is felt by the majority to be losing his or her credibility to maintain their leadership. For instance, Michelle, Queen of the Sea Fairies, fell out of favor about a thousand years ago when she lost a mortal warrior to some human hussy girl, and the Fourteenth Trial was called, and won by 17, King of the Wood Elves, through his champion, an elderly human warlock named Gero who had to defeat a very wild Alicorn, that's a winged unicorn. Five hundred years ago, Gero turned on 17, and 17 had to destroy him outright!

This really made the other Council members laugh at him, so the Fifteenth Trial was declared, and 18, the Forest Fairy Queen, won when her champion, a clever amateur wizard named Tomoe, defeated a rather nasty green dragon with the oddest emerald crown on it's head. 18 has ruled the Council ever since, and in fact was the one to finally lead the assault that finally ended the war with the Trolls about twenty to twenty five years ago.

I'd heard rumors that the Sixteenth Trial had been declared fifteen years ago, but I hadn't really taken much stock in it, per say. But if it's really true, then 18 must have really done something dumb!" The whole time Babidi gave his history lesson, he continued to check the brew in his cauldron, occasionally stirring it.

Trunks, Goten, and Chibi-Chibi listened with rapt attention, though it was clear to any who looked at her that Chibi-Chibi was having a little trouble keeping up and understanding, which was why Babidi had bothered to define an alicorn, and had thrown in the comment about how Michelle and 17 had each lost their leadership of the Council.

"Wait, they declared it fifteen years ago?" Trunks asked.

"Oh, they always declare it roughly twenty years before they actually **do** it," Babidi explained. "That way they each have the time to lay their hands on a suitable champion and train them properly for the Trial. Now, are you sure the next one is set for tomorrow night?"

"Yes, Rei said so herself!" Trunks told him.

"You met Queen Rei? And she didn't incinerate you on the spot?" Babidi stared at him with wide eyes.

"Actually, she seemed more interested in humiliating her majesty, Queen Serenity," Trunks commented offhand.

"Serenity? Oh, yes, the blacksmith girl who made a deal with her some twenty five to thirty years ago," Babidi regained his calm, and rose a hand, causing one cupboard to open and four bowls to float out and over to the cauldron. "I always thought she took the woman's first born daughter as payment for services rendered," Babidi mused as he ladled out some of the brew into each of the bowls. Trunks mildly wondered what Babidi was up to, and then Babidi floated the blows over to the table. "Care for some soup?" he asked.

Trunks blinked in surprise. _Soup?_ he thought.

"Alright! Dinner!" Goten cheered, grabbed a spoon, and began eating. Deciding if Goten could eat it, it was probably safe for human consumption, Trunks took a seat and tried a sip of the soup - it was really good! Trunks began eat like a well mannered little boy while Babidi took a seat and started on his bowl. He then looked up at Chibi-Chibi, who was still sitting and watching in the sitting chair.

"Don't you want some, little Princess?" he asked. Chibi-Chibi just looked nervous, so Babidi waved a hand, and Chibi-Chibi floated up and over to an empty seat. Babidi then held her while he floated a small, but thick, block of wood over to the seat on it, then dropped Chibi-Chibi on top of the block. "I used to use that for Goten when he was that small," Babidi explained offhand. "So, tell me Trunks, why do you wish to attend the Trial?"

As Chibi-Chibi timidly blew on the soup to cool it and tried a sip, Trunks told Babidi of his meeting with Rini, and his subsequent meetings afterward. Babidi seemed little surprised about the third meeting in which Goten was in attendance, save for what happened after Goten had run off. Trunks then told the Mountain Troll of Rei's appearance in the palace, and how he'd made his final decision. By the time he finished, Chibi-Chibi was willingly eating her soup, but making a bit of a mess of herself in the process.

"I see," Babidi said. "In short, though you've known her only a short time, you are already in love with Rei's champion. You wish to watch her in battle."

"No, I want to **save** her from Rei!" Trunks said. "I want to set her free!"

"And you think you can do that at the Trial?" Babidi asked. "You really do have a thing for her. Now, if I give you what you want, how exactly will you pay me for it? You can't honestly expect me to give you something for nothing, after all."

"I don't know," Trunks admitted. "What would you ask for?"

"Hmm," Babidi thought to himself. _To be honest,_ he thought, _I don't think there's anything he could get for me._ By this time Babidi, Goten, and Trunks had finished their soup, and Chibi-Chibi was wearing half of hers, the rest having managed to get into her mouth.

"Goten, get her highness cleaned up while I clear the table, would you?" Babidi said.

"Sure," Goten said, and got up and scooped up Chibi-Chibi. "Don't worry, we have a nice warm bath for you, and a washbasin for your dress!" he told her as he went down the side corridor.

Babidi picked up his bowl, and Trunks got his and Goten's, feeling like he ought to do something in exchange for the meal. As he moved around the table, Babidi picked up the fourth bowl, Chibi-Chibi's, but it was now such a mess it slipped right out of his hand!

"I got it!" Trunks cried, and quickly caught the bowl in mid air before it could smash into the floor. "So where do we put them?" he asked.

Babidi stared. Both of Trunks's hands were full, each holding a bowl. He had not used either of them to catch the fourth bowl, nor had he used his foot. He had used a **fifth** appendage. His lavender belt had unwound itself and neatly ensnared the bowl two feet above the floor. His belt was a tail!

"Where did you get that?" Babidi asked, pointing to it.

"My tail?" Trunks blinked. "I've had it since I was born. I got it from my dad's side of the family. He taught me to wrap it around me like a belt so as to keep it out of the way." Babidi continued to stare at it as he went over to a blank wall and waved a hand, making a small sink appear that he deposited his bowl into. Trunks placed the other three bowls in as well, and started to rewind his tail around his waist.

Suddenly Babidi grabbed the tail, and began to rub and stroke it, causing Trunks to go rigid. It felt both amazingly good, and at the same time horribly disgusting!

"Ooh, so soft, almost silky," Babidi purred. "You should have said you were Vegeta's son!"

"You know who my father is?" Trunks asked, using all his will power to remain calm.

"Oh, yes, he was acquired by 18 to help destroy the Troll armies," Babidi confirmed. "I'd heard rumors of his escape, but I didn't think they were true...til now, that is."

"That's nice," Trunks gritted through his teeth. And then Babidi released his tail and went over to the bookshelf, selecting a book from the fourth shelf, and another from the sixth.

"I'll just get to work on that transportation spell for you, Trunks," Babidi grinned. "I think you'll be able to pay me...quite nicely."

-----------

The adults eventually woke up in their bedrooms, having been moved by some of the castle employees after being knocked out by Goten, and Vegeta and Bulma instantly stared toward the woods from the window. Endymion and Serenity began to panic at the absence of Chibi-Chibi. One guard said he'd seen her disappear into the woods, just a few steps behind the two boys.

"How do we follow them?" Yamcha asked. "They could have gone anywhere in those woods!"

"I have an idea!" Bulma said, and dashed into the courtyard to their cart. She fished out one of Trunks's shirts and moved to Auroris, sticking it under his nose.

"Find Trunks!" she told the horse. Auroris sniffed the garment, then neighed, trotting out of the castle and towards the woods. Vegeta grabbed his reigns, and Bulma, Yamcha, Endymion, Serenity, and a small group of guards followed after.

They weren't sure how long they'd been out, but the sun was setting and it was getting dark, meaning multiple hours at least. Bulma sighed as she realized they would have to send a message to her parents explaining the delay of their return.

Just as the sun dipped below the horizon, and the moon peaked above the sky, Auroris marched them up to a stone nook at the base of the mountain. Auroris walked smartly up to the stone mountain wall, sniffed, and neighed quietly.

"Trail stops here, huh?" Vegeta said, staring at the mountain base in front of them. "Damn it, Trunks! Where did you go?"

-----------

Trunks wasn't sure how long he watched Babidi perform various incantations and rituals, marking a sort of pentagram on the floor in front of the fireplace. After a while he stopped, and began putting various cooking items together, though Trunks couldn't tell what he was doing or what it had to do with getting him to the Arena.

"I have to let the last incantation 'simmer' a bit before I continue, so I thought I'd throw something together while we waited," Babidi said over his shoulder.

"Uh, how long is this gonna take?" Trunks asked.

"Oh, not much longer now," Babidi assured him, and went back to what he was doing, getting a pan from the cupboard and dolling out what he was making onto it. Trunks waited for a while longer, and watched as Babidi placed the pan on the shelves in the fire place. He then began performing a few more incantations, then mixed together a small potion in the cauldron, which he'd emptied and cleaned out before he'd begun.

After a while Goten returned, looking a little waterlogged, and Chibi-Chibi, now clean and dry, came just behind him, all smiles.

"She's done, master," Goten said, then noticed what he was doing. "What're you doing?"

"I'm just preparing Trunks's request for him," Babidi said. He cast a few more incantations, and one more ritual, during which Goten took a seat near the table again, and Chibi-Chibi once more planted herself in a sitting chair. Once he was done, Babidi turned to Trunks.

"It is now finished, Trunks," Babidi said. "We need wait only a short time, and the portal to the Arena will open."

"Thank you," Trunks said. "By the way, who made the Arena, anyway?"

"Oh, the Triclopses built it shortly after the First Trial was declared," Babidi told them. "Now, as to your payment, the potion for that will be ready in just few moments."

"My payment?" Trunks blinked. "What do you want?"

"Your tail," Babidi said. "I've always wanted a Saiyan's tail, but I could never learn where the Saiyan world was. Your's will do just as well."

"My tail?" Trunks stared, then took a deep breath before saying determinedly, "For Rini, anything." Babidi grinned, and a few moments later he turned and ladled out some of the potion, and took it over to Trunks.

"Just drink this, and your tail will be mine," Babidi told him. Trunks took another deep breath, and slugged the potion down in one gulp. It tasted almost as bad as his mom's cold medicine, but he swallowed it. A few moments later he felt an odd sensation flow through him, and then Babidi took a hold of his tail, which Trunks unwrapped to Goten and Chibi-Chibi's joint surprise, and Babidi gave one, sharp pull! A moment later, it was off, and Babidi grinned and stroked Trunks's ex-appendage lovingly, like it was the most valuable treasure in the world. The Troll Warlock then looked back up at him.

"The portal will be ready for opening in due course, Trunks," Babidi said, moving away. Trunks rubbed his rear a bit, the removal of his tail still feeling very odd. Chibi-Chibi stared at the removed appendage, very surprised. After that they waited awhile, during which Babidi whispered something to Goten, who nodded as though agreeing. He also removed what he'd put on the fireplace shelves and placed them on a small rack on the table to cool. Finally, Babidi examined the prepared area, and nodded.

"Alright, Trunks, it is ready," he said, and cast a final incantation. A swirl appeared in the air, and Babidi waved to it. "You need but step into the vortex, and you will arrive at the Arena. Goten will go with you to keep you company, and assist you if you need it."

"Thanks, I probably will," Trunks said walking forward. Then he paused and glanced at Chibi-Chibi, who had nodded off in her chair. "What about her?"

"Oh, my master will watch her while we're gone, it's no biggie," Goten said.

"Leave the Princess with a Troll?!" Trunks snapped, causing Chibi-Chibi to wake up and rub her little eyes. "Are you crazy?!"

"Well, we can't take her with us, that's even crazier!" Goten replied.

"Relax, it's not like I'm going to eat her or anything," Babidi said. "Now hurry along, you two! I can't keep this open for very long, or they'll know I'm doing it." Trunks stared at the Troll and the boy, trying to decide which was more sane, then finally took a breath and hopped into the swirl.

"Remember, Goten, not until the right moment," Babidi said to Goten over his shoulder.

"Don't worry, master," Goten said. "Those Fair Folk are in for a **really** big surprise!" And with that he zipped past Babidi and jumped into the vortex. Chibi-Chibi hopped off her chair and moved toward it as well, but Babidi snagged her by the dress.

"Going somewhere?" he asked, then waved a hand, making the vortex disappear. Chibi-Chibi got teary eyed at being left behind, but Babidi floated one of the items on the table over to them to distract her. "Sugar cookie?" he offered, and Chibi-Chibi's eyes widened as she smiled, a drop of drool on her lip.

"Cookie!" she squealed, and grabbed the little sugar elf from the air and began chewing on it happily.

-----------

Trunks wasn't sure what was happening, just that everything was a swirl. After a few tense moments, the swirling ended, and he felt himself land on his feet on an outcropping overlooking what looked to be a large combat arena. He crept closer and stared at it. Indeed, it was several seats surrounding a large open area with only three ways to enter it. In sixteen spots around the stands were ornate chairs, padded and richly designed. Clearly these were for the Kings and Queens. Trunks could see something moving around the arena, busily preparing and fixing and cleaning. One looked to be a small green creature with pointy ears and a bald head, and others looked like small Fairies, complete with wings, and one looked like a fairy, right down to the ears, but had no wings at all.

Suddenly Goten landed with a thump behind him and crept up beside him, glancing down.

"Hmm, a Goblin, two Fairies, and an Elf," he said. "Interesting spread."

"What do we do?" Trunks asked.

"We wait."

-----------

It was near dawn as the adults continued to search the base of the mountain, but Auroris continued to return to the same blank nook. Finally, in utter frustration, Vegeta hit the stone face with his fist, and it cracked. They blinked. Light was emanating from **inside** the crack!

Vegeta and Endymion glanced at each other, then rammed the face with their shoulders, breaking the crack open further. Some of the guards joined in, lead by Silver, and they hammered with their bodies and heavy logs until finally...the face simply vanished on its own.

"Next time, knock politely!" a voice cried from within. "Come in, if you must."

Vegeta, Bulma, Serenity, and Endymion stormed in first, followed by Silver, Yamcha, and multiple guards, the rest staying with Auroris and Blue. Within they walked forward until they reached the main chamber, where Babidi stood watching his crystal ball, the pentagram still in front of the fireplace on the floor.

"Greetings, I am Babidi," he said, turning to see them. "The children are quite unharmed, no need to worry."

"Where's my daughter?" Serenity demanded.

"If you mean your eldest, she should be entering the Arena within the hour or so to battle for her very life," Babidi answered. "If you mean your second, down that corridor, first door on the right." He pointed to indicate the corridor, and Serenity immediately dashed down it. Babidi glanced at the others. "I gave her some sugar cookies, and she passed right out. I though it best to place her in a bed till she awoke, more comfortable than the chairs."

"Where's Trunks?" Vegeta demanded.

"And what do you mean, Rini is going to fight for her very life?" Endymion added as Serenity came back, much calmer.

"She's asleep," she said. "She's safe enough in the bed till we're ready to go. Now, what did you mean about Rini?!"

"Well, in order of asking, Trunks, along with my ward, Goten, are already on a small cliff overlooking the Arena," Babidi said, then explained to them about the Trial and the coming conflict. All four parents felt sick to their stomachs.

"What will they fight?" Bulma asked.

"Oh, I can't answer that," Babidi said. "That won't be revealed until the battle is to begin, but given their track record, I'm sure those Fair Folk have scrounged up something nice and nasty!"

"Tell me, wizard, how did Trunks pay you for passage to the Arena?" Vegeta demanded, and in response Babidi waved a hand, causing a tapestry showing a unicorn bathing with a mermaid to move aside, revealing several different tails from several different origins. In the middle was Trunks's!

"I'm a collector," Babidi grinned. "I've wanted a Saiyan tail since Queen Michelle brought that fool Kakkarot here."

"You cut off his tail?!" Bulma shrieked.

"Hardly, I gave him a potion to make it 'pop' off," Babidi replied. "It was completely harmless, he didn't feel a thing."

"Can you bring them back?" Vegeta asked.

"I intend to, in due course," Babidi said, and turned back to his crystal ball. "In this, we can see all that occurs at the Trial. Ooh, I do hope they got something good this time!"

-----------

Trunks had dozed off a little, but suddenly he was being shaken awake by Goten. He stirred and looked below. All sorts of things were entering the Arena into the stands. Some looked quite human, except they each had a third eye in the center of their foreheads. He also noted the variety of Goblins who entered, some green, some blue, some red, and some were even yellow. They all had but two things in common - they were bald, and had pointy ears like the Elves and the Fairies.

Finally, the first King entered and took his seat. He was diminutive, and shock white with rosy cheeks, and his clothes looked like richly sewn robes made of ice and snow with a high collar and long cape, and he wore a simple crown that looked like it was a silver ring with ice-sickles coming from it. Trunks could just make out black eyes, and no hair.

The next to enter was another male, much larger, but just as white, with rich flowing robes like snow and the whitest gossamer wings coming from his back. His crown was a golden ring with ice carven sculpture coming from it. His eyes were pale blue, and he, too, was bald. His robes had no collar, and no cape.

The third was yet another male in green and brown robes that looked like they were made of wood and leaves, with a flowing green cape and brown collar. His crown had a gold ring and what looked like the purest leaves in it atop his long raven hair. His eyes were the same blue as the previous. He was followed by 18, whom Trunks recognized from his parents stories, beautiful rainbow gossamer wings and all in her green gown and a gold ringlet crown with flowers apparently **growing** from it.

The fifth to emerge was another male, this one humongous with a mohawk of red hair, wearing robes with intricate designs of dragons and flames woven in, looking as though it were made from woven fire, as did his red-gold ringlet crown, his eyes the same as the last two men. His cape was blood red, and his collar short and folded down.

He was followed in by Rei, looking just the same as she had the previous day, but now wearing a different red dress with stenciled phoenixes upon it that went straight up at the shoulders rather than curving down like an open flower blossom. Otherwise it was very similar to the last one.

The next one out was a woman with long flowing blue hair and a blue dress that looked made of ocean water, her simple blue crown ringed with silver and a gold star in the center of it. Her long sleeved dress was also lined with silver, and had dolphins stenciled upon it, a slit right down the middle. Her eyes were a light blue, the color of her hair, and she stared at the Arena goers around her with an almost childlike intensity as she moved to her seat.

The woman who followed had shorter sea-blue hair with a wave to it, and her crown was also silver lined with a blue stone in the center. Her eyes were a calming blue, and she gave off an atmosphere of calmness and serenity. She wore a sea blue dress that ended just above her breasts with her arms bare, and a beautiful stencil of a Blue Whale upon the front of the dress. At her waist tucked into a silver lined belt was an ornate gold mirror. She sported a pair of sea blue gossamer wings that turned pure white at the edges, like sea foam.

The next woman to appear had curled blue-violet hair and piercing black eyes. She was dressed in a sky blue dress that went down to her feet with tornado's and wind currents stenciled on it. It had a collar at the shoulders that blossomed upward like a flower, and a single slit along the right sides from the waist to the ground. The sleeves went on to the hands, and ended in a small loop around her middle fingers. She wore a gold ringlet crown upon her head with a blue feather in the center and other feathers around it.

Next another woman stepped into the stands, this one with short cut blonde hair and blue eyes wearing a sky blue dress similar to the previous woman's, but only with wind currents stenciled upon it, and no slits or loops upon the hands, and no collar. This dress's sleeves ended about two inches above the wrist, and the skirt went only to the knees. The dress had an open spot near the shoulders that ended in a curve above the breasts. Upon her back were bright blue gossamer wings the color of the sky in daytime that turned an even lighter shade near the edges, like clouds on a summer day. She, too, wore a gold ringlet crown, but with a solitary dark blue stone in the center. Tucked in a white belt at her waist was a short, curved, gold hilted dagger in a white, jeweled sheathe.

The next woman looked almost like the next to last woman's twin, but with curled blonde hair and piercing green eyes instead of blue-violet and black. She wore a blue dress with ripples stenciled upon it in silver, and her sleeves ended in a point upon the back of her hands, and her skirt went to her ankles, slits on both sides from waist to foot. Her crown was a silver ringlet with three small spires rising from it. The dress had a collar that went up straight and looked like several spikes. She wore an expression of intense confidence.

Then yet another woman entered the stands, this one with short cut blue hair and deep blue eyes. She wore a sapphire blue dress with water ripples and eddies and waterfalls stenciled upon it in pure silver that ended just below her knees, and was sleeveless, her collar simple and short at her shoulders. She, too, had gossamer wings, hers a deep sapphire blue that turned more sky blue at the edges, like water near a shore. She wore a gold ringlet with a single square-cut sapphire blue stone in it's center.

Finally another man entered, this one of good height and build, wearing green robes and a white cape with simple animals stenciled upon it in gold and a red belt. Trunks knew this to be the King of the Triclopses by the third eye in his forehead, and he wore a simple gold crown upon his bald head - a thick wide ring with no interesting trimmings.

Next came another woman, this one incredibly pale with long, flowing, slightly curly black hair and pierce pale blue eyes in a black dress with silver lining and several odd caricatures stenciled upon it. Her sleeves were a more greenish shade, and ending at her wrists, and her feet were not visible below her thick skirt. Her dress bore no collar, and her hair had two buns in it, identical to Queen Serenity's. There was a dark foreboding about her, and her crown was a silver ring with two silver and one gold crescent moons at the center of it.

Then came another man, but this one could never be called human. King of the Goblins, this one was tall, almost as tall as the giant Elf with the red mohawk, wore a black outfit that was form fitting with no sleeves and small brown shoes. His robes had no stenciling, and he bore a heavy cape atop his shoulders. It was white and went down to just above the floor, and when the Goblin King turned to move to his seat, Trunks saw battle scenes depicted in gold stenciling upon the back. He wore no crown, but rather a purple turban with a white cloth wrapped round the base of it.

Finally the last Queen entered the stadium and took her seat, no one else coming in behind her. This final Queen was not as pale as the previous, but near so, with long nails like talons, had long, flowing red hair and reddish eyes, and wore a simple purple dress that went down to her feet and then some with no sleeves which curled into a point near the top just above each of her breasts, and curved back inward and then turned into a diamond cut at the center of her breasts. Her crown was a simple affair, a bent black shaft with a gaudy magenta stone in the center wrapped in two white lines like twine. She also wore a single white stone bracelet upon her right arm with a light blue stone in the center on the outer side, and a similar necklace. She carried with her a long staff almost as big as her with a pale orb near the top, and had two dark red-magenta gossamer wings upon her back that were edged in black.

As soon as the last Queen took her seat, the festivities began.

"Hear ye, Hear ye!! We now begin the Sixteenth Trial for leadership of the Council of the Fair!" a stout, black skinned Elf in white pants and an odd white turban stood and called out. "As the reigning ruler, Queen 18 of the Forest Fairies shall present her champion fist."

"Thank you, Popo," 18 stood up. "As you all already know, I lost my pet Saiyan, Vegeta, fifteen years ago, shortly before this Trial was declared. It is only fitting, therefor, that my champion be of his own blood. I give you his daughter, Bra!"

A fanfare sounded, and a small ten year old girl in Fairy armor exactly like Vegeta once wore was entered in the arena itself, carrying a Fairy shield and sword made specifically for her, and took a position below her Queen. Around her waist was what looked to be a sky blue belt, the same shade as her hair, which was tied off in a top knot at the top of her head. What really shocked Trunks was as he stared at his twin for the very first time, his impression was that he was staring at a younger version of his own mother!

"So that's my sister," he whispered quietly. The Goblin King flinched, and pointed to two smaller Goblins in the seats next to him, who quickly nodded and scooted out of the stands.

"The next to present, as per the traditional straw pull, shall be King 19 of the Ice Fairies!" the Elf 18 called Popo declared as 18 sat back down.

"Thank you," the pudgy white male Fairy stood up. "This time I have chosen a champion from the greatest of the Amazon Tribes. I give you Momoko, or as I call her, Melanie!" A young girl of about twelve walked in and took her place below 19. She had violet hair held in a white hat, and wore a simple magenta dress and blue slipper-shoes. She carried a Fairy made staff with a wicked blade upon the top with her, and had purple eyes. 19 retook his seat.

"Next to present shall be 17, King of the Wood Elves!" Popo announced. 17, the black haired Elf who'd entered just after 19, stood.

"Thank you, Popo," he said. "For this Trial, I have decided to go back to basics, and have recruited a young warrior. I give you Kyusuke, or Kelly for short!" The boy who entered appeared to be about the same age as Melanie, with spiky green hair and black eyes, and wore green Fairy armor with a bright blue cape. He took his place below his King, a spiked mace and shield in his hands.

"Geez, are they all kids?" Trunks asked quietly. This was gonna be a massacre if they were!

"And now King 16 of the Fire Elves shall present his champion!" Popo announced to the crowd. 17 sat, and 16, the Elf giant, stood.

"Thank you, I shall not take long," he declared. "I give you a champion trained for nearly thirty years by my people. I now present General Jadeite!" A man of at **least** thirty entered and took his place below 16, who sat. The man had short cut blonde hair and blue eyes, and wore a suit of black armor with an equally black cape, a gold shield on one arm and a silver sword in the other with multiple nooks in the blade.

"Next shall be Lunch, Queen of the Water Elves!" Popo stated to the crowd. The curly blonde haired Elf stood to attention.

"Thank you, Popo. Normally one would save the best for last, but since I pulled a little long this time," Lunch began with heavy ego in her voice. "I present to you from the planet Makaiju the warrioress Ann!" A woman of about seventeen entered and took her place below her Queen, and Trunks blinked. The girl had long pink and blue hair, and light green, nearly aqua, skin! Her eyes were a piercing reddish brown, darker than Rini's. She carried an Elf made shield and double bladed axe in her hands, and wore an odd magenta outfit that was form fitting and a blue vest with gold lining and stencils. Lunch then sat.

"And now Launch, Queen of the Wind Elves!" Pope stated. Lunch's blue haired, black eyed twin stood.

"Thank you, Popo. I went for something simple, and just bought the services of a wizard," she announced. "I give you the master mage Roshi!" A bald old man with a long flowing white beard and a white mustache entered and took his place below Launch. He had simple black eyes, and wore wizard's robes. Unlike all the previous champions, he held no weapons in his hands. Launch then took her seat.

"And now Rei, Queen of the Fire Fairies, shall give us her Champion!" Popo announced. Rei stood, full of confidence.

"Thank you, Popo. Despite Lunch's comment's earlier, I give the one who shall truly prove the best of this Trial!" Rei declared. "I give you Rini, daughter of Endymion and Serena!" Rini walked into the arena and took her place quietly below Rei. She wore her usual armor and had her sword with her, sitting its sheathe, her hands upon the hilt, ready to pull at once when the beast they were to slay emerged. Rei sat, still beaming her unwavering confidence. Lunch just ignored her.

"Next shall be Ami, Queen of the Water Fairies!" Popo called out. The blue haired Fairy who had followed Lunch in got to her feet.

"Thank you, Popo," she said. "I, too, have claimed a mortal from the planet Makaiju. I give you the warrior Fiore!" A male of the same persuasion as Ann entered, with similar, but far shorter, hair, and took his place below Ami. He wore white Fairy armor and a white cape, and carried a single longsword in his hand.

"Now Beryl, Queen of the Dark Faerie, shall present her champion!" Popo cried out. Ami sat down, and the very last Fairy to enter stood up.

"Thank you, Popo," she started. "As the one who instigated the Trial, and was selected to choose the beast the champions are to slay, I have carefully chosen my own champion, and give a girl from the deepest rainforests. I present to you, Ves-Ves!" A young girl of about twelve with red eyes and long red hair done up in a pony tail set up above her head came out and took her place below Beryl. Staring at her, Trunks's eyes bugged out even more, and his nose nearly spurted blood! She carried only a silver sword with a brown thin hilt with a white balled tip, and she wore only spiked white shoulder pads, a very brief bra, red lace up sandals, and a small pink translucent skirt in front of a brief red patch of cloth over her rear and front. Everything else was totally bare! Beryl sat down.

"Now we shall meet the champion of Michelle, Queen of the Sea Fairies!" Popo declared, and the blue haired woman who preceded Launch into the stands stood up.

"Thank you. I present a young woman from the fishing villages near my realm," Michelle stated. "I give you Palla-Palla!" Another twelve year old girl with blue eyes and blue hair worn in several little pony tails and a ball atop her head entered carrying a trident staff, and took her place below Michelle, who sat. She wore blue lace up sandals like Ves-Ves's, and a simple blue leotard that looked to be made of Fairy armor, with yellow frills along the bottom. Her legs, arms, shoulders, and head were all bare.

"The next to present shall be Amara, Queen of the Wind Fairies!" Popo announced. The blonde Fairy who had followed Lunch in got up.

"Thank you," she said. "I have gained a true prize. A direct descendant of the Saiyan Kakkarot, whom Michelle once held nine hundred years ago. I give you Pan!" A young girl of about eight or nine with short black hair and black eyes entered carrying a sword and took her place below Amara. She wore orange Fairy armor and actually looked excited! Amara then took her seat.

"And now we shall hear from Aluminum Siren, Queen of the Sea Elves!" Popo shouted across the stands. The woman who had followed Rei in and preceded Michelle got to her feet.

"Thank you, Popo dear!" she said. "I collected a true soldier for this Trial. I present General White!" A man of middle age with short snow white hair and black eyes entered and took his place below Aluminum Siren. He was well built, and carried a broadsword. He wore a black cape and black Fairy armor. Siren took her seat again.

"Next shall be Neherenia, Queen of the Dark Elves!" Popo declared, and the palest Elf Queen stood up.

"Thank you, Popo," she said. "I have secured the services of an assassin, a true artist. I now present Tao-Pai-Pai!" A man with raven hair along the sides of his head and in a small, braided pigtail at the back of his head and black eyes entered and took his place below Neherenia, who sat. He wore a form fitting suit, and no weapons were evident. He also had a very thin mustache on his upper lip.

"Only three left," Goten whispered. "And then the fun begins!"

"Next up is Chiao-Tzu, King of the Ice Elves!" Popo announced. The midget pale white Elf who was the first to enter finally stood up.

"Thank you, Popo," he said. "I have brought a personally trained warrioress today, so my odds at **finally** winning the Trial should be good! I give you Suno!" A little girl of all of thirteen with shoulder length red hair entered and took her place below Chiao-Tzu. She wore white Fairy armor and a blue cape, and had large brown eyes. She carried a single sided battle axe, and was the only one so far who looked nervous. Chiao-Tzu sat quietly.

"And now at long last, we shall meet the champion of Tien, King of the Triclopses!" Popo declared, and the Triclops King rose to his feet.

"Thank you, Popo," Tien stated calmly. "I will not mince words. My champion comes from the planet Makaiju, as Lunch and Ami's do. I give you the warrior Alan!" A male who looked down right identical to Fiore entered and took his place under Tien. He wore a black suit like Ann's, and a light green vest with gold lining. He carried a Fairy made spear, with a second tied to his back. As Tien went to sit, his eyes, all three of them, flitted briefly to the cliff where Trunks and Goten sat and watched, then turned and glanced at the Goblin King, who smiled and nodded. Tien smiled back and sat.

"And now, at long last, our final presenter for the evening, Piccolo, King of the Goblins!" Popo announced. Piccolo set down the wine glass he'd been drinking from and stood up.

"Thank you, Popo," he stated. "I had to perform some clever maneuvering, but I can safely present to you my newest champion, the warrior witch Jun-Jun!" The final champion entered and took her place below Piccolo, who quietly sat back down. She was about thirteen, with green hair in a stiff pony tail worn atop her head, and green eyes. She wore a green vest and white pants with green lace up sandals, and carried a short sword in one hand and a small staff in the other, her arms bare.

"And now for the moment we have all been waiting for!" Popo cried. "Beryl, will you please tell us what these mortals are to battle?!"

"With pleasure," Beryl stood up again. "I have chosen to pit them against...a Chimera!" At this point a dark pink skinned man with pointed ears, black eyes, and a goatee appeared in the center of the Arena. The man wore a blue suit with a white cape, and held a seriously **ugly** creature in his arms, which he dropped before flying up, without wings, to Beryl's side. The creature that had been deposited had an insect aspect to him, long skinny legs with three toed feet, and beady black eyes above an orange beak like mouth. On top of his head were two large green slats, and he was generally green in color with black spots all over. On its back were two large wing-like appendages and a very long, sinewy tail with a baize tip that started out wide and then went needle thin. It was wearing only silver chains on it's wrists and ankles.

"Well done, Dabura," Beryl said. "Did you get the others I asked for?"

"Of course, my Queen," Dabura replied.

-----------

"Ooh, a Chimera!" Babidi cooed at his crystal ball. "That is nasty! This'll be fun!"

"Oh, lord!" Bulma stared at the hideous monster at the center of the Arena. "Bra has to fight **that**?!"

"Oh, Rini, please be careful!" Serenity cried without thinking. She felt so helpless! In fact, they all did. Only Babidi was truly enjoying himself. A guard had been sent to report the situation to Blue and the others outside, and all were feeling antsy.

-----------

"Oh, man, that thing is gruesome!" Trunks whispered.

"Yeah," Goten agreed. "This is gonna be awesome!"

"Want a front row seat?" a voice asked them from behind.

"That would be nice," Goten admitted.

"Yeah," Trunks added. "Wait, who asked that?" The two boys turned to see the two Goblins who had suddenly left the stands earlier, both of them rather short. One had blue skin and black eyes, and wore a black shirt with green sleeves and a white frilled collar, blue pants, brown shoes, and a black hat with a red ball atop it. His shirt had a circular white patch with a symbol upon it. The other was light blue with green spots along the sides of his head, and wore grey shoes with dark grey pants and a black shirt with a white cape. His shirt had a red patch vertically across the front with a blue frame and yellow symbols.

"Uh, oh..." the boys said.

"And now, the rules of the Trial!" Popo declared below.

"Ah, man, we're gonna miss the show, Garlic!" the first Goblin said.

"Not if we hurry we won't, Pilaf!" the second, Garlic, replied.

"The rules are simple!" Popo continued unabated. "The champions will all battle the Chimera at once until it is dead. Whosoever survives shall be declared the victor, and their master the new leader of the Council of the Fair!"

"Survive?!" a small female voice cried. "My King, you said I just had to kill something, nothing about having to survive!"

"Didn't I?" the voice of Chiao-Tzu replied. "Is that really so problematic? Just kill it and be the one to live to tell the tale! That's all."

"Now, come along quietly, boys. We don't want any trouble," Garlic stepped forward, and Goten shot up his hands.

"Papara Pa..." he started, but Garlic shot forward, and clamped a hand on Goten's throat, keeping him from finishing.

"I don't think so," Garlic said, and flipped Goten around to have him in front of him, Garlic's arm around Goten's throat to keep him from acting. Meanwhile, Trunks faced Pilaf and raised his hands in fists.

"You just try something, Goblin-butt! I know hand-to-hand combat, my father taught me well!" he stated as bravely as he could.

"Really?" Pilaf said. "How nice for you." And then Pilaf bolted around Trunks so fast it left a wavery afterimage that made Trunks blink until Pilaf tapped him on the shoulder. "Ready to give up?" Pilaf asked, and Trunks gulped.

"Oh, just grab him already, Pilaf!" Garlic said, "We're gonna miss the show!"

"You think these mortals can hinder me?" a raspy, smug voice chortled from below. "Their only advantage is that I am chained. Loose me! Let this be real sport!"

"It can talk?!" a female voice cried.

"Yes, and we must be wary of it's tail," an elderly male voice stated.

"Why's that, old man?" a young male voice asked.

"If the needle point impales you, the Chimera will be able to absorb your body into itself as food, increasing it's strength," the elderly voice answered.

"Really? That's an interesting ability," another male voice somewhere between the other two commented.

"And soon you'll feel it, assassin," the Chimera purred. "Now Fair Folk, release me, and begin your Trial!"

Trunks finally snapped around and threw a punch at Pilaf, who dodged it, again leaving an afterimage in his wake. Before Trunks could react, he felt a pinch at the base of his waist, and suddenly felt everything below his waist go numb. He fell to the ground struggling to regain his feet, but Pilaf just chuckled.

"Venom in our claws," he said. "You won't be able to use your legs for almost a day!" With that, Pilaf picked Trunks up in his arms and carried him away, Garlic more or less dragging Goten behind. They moved down the cliff and circled around to the Arena, where the sounds of battle had already started in earnest, and in moments they heard the gurgling noise of someone getting killed. The two Goblins lead them to a stairwell and up into an entryway into the stands, and around to the seat of the Goblin King, Piccolo. As they were brought in, several of those around, mostly Fairies and Elves, turned to glance at them.

"We have the eavesdroppers, your majesty," Garlic reported.

"Just a pair of human boys who somehow blundered onto the Arena," Pilaf added, dropping Trunks on the floor, where he managed to pull himself into a sitting position as he looked up at Piccolo.

"How boring," Piccolo said.

"I find it impressive they got that close, Piccolo," Tien commented, pressing his fingers together. "Few mortals ever do."

Trunks was in a good enough position to see right into the Arena. It wasn't pretty.

Somehow the Chimera had been unchained, and it had already killed Jadeite and General White. Jadeite lay on the ground, his neck twisted around terribly, and White had been impaled on his own broadsword. Ann, Fiore, and Alan were all swinging blows at the Chimera, which danced around them erratically, at the same time bouncing to avoid spells being flung by Roshi, and throwing weapons appearing seemingly from nowhere into Tao-Pai-Pai's hands.

Palla-Palla was maintaining her distance, trying to get a hit in with her trident, and Melanie, Kelly, and Pan were right in the thick of it, trying to nail the Chimera with their own weapons, Pan actually seeming to be **enjoying** herself! Jun-Jun and Bra were to one side, using their weapon's length advantage as well as they could, and Jun-Jun also throwing less powerful spells than Roshi, making them powerful by focusing them through her staff.

Ves-Ves was moving around the Chimera carefully, as best she could, looking for an opening. And then Trunks spotted Rini...standing between the Chimera and an injured Suno, who's leg had been partially mauled. Rini had her sword out, and was standing resolutely, her face filled with resolve. For her part, Suno didn't whine about her wound, and kneeled with her axe at the ready, in case the beast came in close.

"How...how did you know we were there?" Trunks asked as he watched the battle continue. By this point the other Queens and Kings had turned to see what was going on, Rei's eyes widening in shock!

"We Triclopses have excellent vision," a young Triclops girl said. "We spotted you on the cliff when we came in."

"As for us Goblins, our hearing is excellent. We heard you muttering all the way down here," Pilaf told him.

"So you see," Tien said, "you had no chance of truly hiding from us."

"Tell me," Piccolo asked, "Were you serious when you referred to 18's champion as your sister?" 18 suddenly blanched.

"What?!" she cried. "He's Vegeta's boy?!!"

"Yeah," Trunks said. "Bra's my sister...my **twin**!" 18 stared at him, grating, then glanced at his waist and smiled.

"Liar," she said.

"What?!" Trunks blinked.

"If you are Vegeta's son, then where is your tail?" 18 asked. Trunks stared at her only a moment before answering.

"I sold it to Babidi to get here," he told the truth.

"Who?" Ami asked.

"My master," Goten replied, and Rei went white.

"The Mountain Troll Warlock?!!!" she shrieked. "You got **him** to send you here?!"

"Yeah," Trunks said, "And I'm not leaving without my sister, **and** Rini!" Just then there was a gurgle, and Alan fell, his body folded backward nastily. The Chimera then turned and glanced at Rini and Suno.

"I think I'll take those two out now," it said, and swung its tail directly at them. Rini rose her sword to block, but just as the tail got close, Suno lunged and brought her axe down right through it, severing the tip. The Chimera screamed in pain.

"So much for that weapon!" Suno cheered herself as she went back to her knees.

"Quick, burn the wound closed!" Roshi cried, Trunks identifying his voice as the elderly one who had warned about the tail earlier.

"What for?" Palla-Palla, the first female to speak after the Chimera had, asked. Suddenly a new tip popped out of the stump.

"That's why," Jun-Jun said.

"You didn't mention it could regrow limbs, old man!" Kelly, the second male voice to speak earlier, snapped.

"Slipped my mind," Roshi said.

"Heads up, sucker!" Ves-Ves cried and the Chimera turned to see her sailing through the air, her sword up high. Ves-Ves then brought it down, hard, right down the Chimera's middle. It gurgled in shock, and fell to the ground. Ves-Ves pulled the sword, and turned to look at Beryl. "This kill in your name, my Queen!" she cried. The crowd was...less than pleased.

"This cannot be!" Amara roared. "Only three died!"

"All but one of them is supposed to be dead at the end!" Chiao-Tzu roared. As the other champions took a moment to breath, Rini glanced up at the stands, and saw Trunks and Goten.

"TRUNKS!!" she cried. "What are you...how did you..."

"I'll tell you later!" Trunks replied. "I've come to save you and Bra!"

"Huh?! Why me?" Bra asked.

"Because you're my twin sister!" Trunks answered, and Bra's eyes widened.

"I have a brother?!" she snapped.

"Lucky you," Melanie said.

"This Trial is not over yet!" Rei snapped. "It cannot be!"

"Relax, Rei, I accounted for this," Beryl said. "Dabura, send in the next one."

"Yes, my Queen," Dabura said, and snapped his finger. Suddenly another chained Chimera appeared, this one a little beefier than the last, and with no wing appendages and a green, slightly more "human", face with an orange chin and blue eyes, his feet like solid orange boots, and a solid black dome on his head between the two slats. Everything else was nearly identical to the last Chimera.

"This one's a different breed, but just as dangerous," Roshi said. "Be ready for anything."

"Oh yes, mortal, you should be worried, for I bring only death," the Chimera said in a smoother, but still kind of rough, voice. Dabura snapped his fingers, and the chains vanished, loosening the beast, which charged at the nearest person, Tao-Pai-Pai, who pulled a five inch dagger from his clothes and slashed. The Chimera simply dodged, and the tip of its tail opened into a funnel, then swung up, then down right on top of Tao-Pai-Pai in a matter of seconds. In moments, the assassin was gone.

It then turned and moved on Roshi, but Jun-Jun and Bra jumped towards it, attacking. It swatted both aside like bugs, sending them into the ground to the side where they lay stunned, and bleeding from minor slashes gained from the creature's claws as it swatted them. Roshi flashed a spell, and dodged away. Unfortunately, this left Ann and Palla-Palla right in the Chimera's path, and moments later they had gone the same way as Tao-Pai-Pai.

The others charged, but it simply ignored them for the most point. It kicked and punched away those who charged, Melanie and Kelly being tossed away, Jun-Jun getting slammed in the face, Pan getting nailed across the stomach with the breadth of the Chimera's tail, Roshi just escaping the needle point of said tail, his fire spell missing and hitting the wall of the stadium, and Rini and Bra were smacked aside as though they weren't there.

The Chimera then turned on those still near it, and Ves-Ves made a slash with her sword, which the Chimera dodged. The Chimera then grinned and used its tail as a counter sword, knocking the blade from Ves-Ves's hands, and slicing her exposed abdomen with the tip of the needlepoint. Ves-Ves fell back, now filled with fear and pressing her hand against the wound. Fiore dashed in and made a stab with his sword, actually landing it in the Chimera's side, but the Chimera turned on him, grabbed the sword with it's hand, then swallowed the last Makaiju as he had his previous victims.

Rini reached for her sword, but couldn't find it within reach. She quickly glanced around for the nearest weapon as the second Chimera pulled Fiore's sword from its side and cast it away, still smirking in utmost confidence.

"This is all too easy," it sneered. "Who shall I kill next?" It glanced around, and then leaped through the air and landed near Suno, who'd been hanging back because of her mangled leg. She stared at the monster before her, her axe raised. The Chimera just leered, and stamped a foot on her wounded leg, increasing the damage and making poor Suno scream! "And now for another hors d'oeuvre," it grinned.

In desperation, Rini spotted Ves-Ves's sword about two feet away, dashed over, grabbed it, charged the monster from behind, jumped and slammed the blade into the Chimera at the base of the neck and down into its chest. The beast gurgled, and fell the ground, dead as the last one. Suno breathed in relief, and Rini pulled the sword out of the Chimera, turning to give it back to Ves-Ves before finding her own sword, when she glanced at it.

"All right, Rini!!" Trunks cheered. The rest of the crowd was less pleased. With nine champions left, there was still no decisive victor of the Trial.

"Relax," Beryl said, "I had Dabura collect a third Chimera, just in case, and he shall present it to us."

"Yes, the strongest for last!" Dabura agreed, but before he could snap his fingers, Rini suddenly cried out.

"This blade's enchanted!" she cried. The other champions and everyone else in the stadium glanced straight at her at that comment.

-----------

"Well, I could have told you that," Babidi commented quietly as he and the parents continued to view the Trial through his orb. By this time Chibi-Chibi had woken up and toddled in to see what was going on, Serenity scooping her up in her arms.

-----------

"What do you mean, enchanted?" Suno asked.

"There's some sort of spell on this sword, making it extra powerful against Chimeras!" Rini stated emphatically. "The Fire Fairies taught me how to detect spells, and this sword has one!" By this time Ves-Ves had found Rini's sword and brought it over to her, and the two traded quietly.

"Are you saying my Queen gave me a rigged sword to win the Trial?" Ves-Ves asked. "That she **cheated**?!"

"Last time I checked, the rules were anything goes," Beryl said as the other Kings and Queens stared at her with death in their eyes. Dabura quickly snapped his fingers and the third chained Chimera appeared, seeming far less bothered by the silver chains than the previous two before him.

This one was again similar to the previous two, but with solid black wing apertures, a smooth white face with a purple strip over his eyes and a yellow chin and ears, and light violet eyes. His hands were also smooth and white, and seemed almost human, as was his neck and collar area. His feet looked like solid yellow boots, and he was overall slightly smaller than the previous Chimeras. He also lacked their tails, instead having just the tip part of one at the small of his back.

"So, here we are," it purred in a smooth, masculine voice. "Shall we begin?" And with that it snapped the chains on it's wrists like they were made of straw! And then followed by doing the same to the ones on it's ankles. The remaining champions each swore in his or her own way at this development, and the Fair Folk began to panic, even Beryl and Dabura. "And for the record," the Chimera stated, "I have named myself Cell. Pretty catchy, don't you think?"

As luck would have it, Garlic then released Goten in a moment of shock, allowing the boy to move over to check on Trunks, who was still mildly paralyzed by Pilaf's venom.

"You okay, Trunks?" he asked.

"Yeah, but we gotta help Rini and Bra!" Trunks replied.

"Don't worry, I got it covered!" Goten grinned, and Trunks glanced at him, his eyes wide with curiosity. _What's he up to?_ Trunks thought.

"Let the massacre begin!" Cell declared. He dove forward, and kicked Jun-Jun into the wall like a rag doll, leaving a horrid bruise on her exposed belly and causing her to belch up blood. Pan then charged forward, but Cell just backhanded her, smashing her face so hard she fell backwards to the ground, blood flying from her own mouth.

"Have you no one to challenge me?!" Cell bellowed, and charged Melanie and Kelly, swatting Kelly into the dirt, scraping the boy up something fierce, and grabbing poor Melanie by the throat and hefting her up. Melanie struggled to escape, but Cell laid a single hand to her chest...and a blast of energy plunged through her. Cell then chucked the corpse aside.

The Chimera then flew over to Suno and kicked her across the face, drawing blood from the girl's facial orifices, and sending her plunging into the ground across the Arena. Cell then turned, just in time to see Ves-Ves sink her sword into his center. He stared at it, and Ves-Ves grinned.

"If this thing is enchanted against Chimera's," she said. "Then the Trial is won in the name of Beryl, Queen of the Dark Faerie!"

"Not really," Cell said. "The blade is enchanted, yes, but that won't help you with me." Ves-Ves stared in shock as Cell grabbed the blade of the sword, and snapped it like a twig! He then lifted it, and her up, and then threw one punch that sent poor Ves-Ves across the stadium, leaving blood as she skidded hard across the floor for several moments after landing there on her front. She did not rise. Cell tossed the bottom of the broken sword aside, then pulled the top from his center and cast it away as well. Now only Rini, Bra, and Roshi remained.

Cell approached the three menacingly, a twisted grin on his lips. He was completely pleased with himself.

"Now do you see what you're up against?" he asked. "I...am...perfect!" Rini and Bra held their blades out resolutely, ready to die fighting. Roshi stared, and made a silent choice, and walked up to Cell, the two facing off quietly.

"I'm afraid I can't let you hurt anyone else, Cell," he said. "Prepare yourself, I save this spell for an emergency only." With that he held his hand together near his face, and focused a great amount of power there. Cell stared at it intently. "Ka...Me...Ha...Me..." Roshi chanted, the power increasing greatly. Now everyone watched carefully, wondering what would happen. "HA!!!" Roshi screamed, and the power exploded brightly, filling the Arena with a pure, white blaze!

When the smoke cleared, Roshi was gone, and Cell remained, badly wounded, and oozing violet blood from several injuries.

"Quick, cut his head off!" Rini snapped, and she and Bra charged forward to end the battle, but Cell rebounded, and rammed a fist into Bra's gut, sending her sailing back, and easily dodged Rini, who he back kicked, sending her sailing in the opposite direction, both spitting up blood as they went.

Everyone was now down or gone, and Trunks couldn't tell if any of the champions still lived. Only Cell still stood. Cell looked up at the now pensive audience with his evil grin still intact, his body regenerating itself as they watched.

"Now I shall destroy the Council of the Fair!" Cell declared, but Goten shot up.

"You still have one champion to beat, Cell!" he cried, and pulled an odd ball from his pocket, and tossed it into the Arena. "Tonara Topara!" he cried.

-----------

"What's that?" Vegeta asked. Bulma and Serenity were choking up, both convinced that the Cell monster had killed their daughters. Endymion was simply cold with shock at the turn of events that had occurred.

"Oh, just a present I had Goten take to the Council," Babidi grinned. "I think they're gonna scream!"

-----------

The ball lay on the ground, pulsing quietly like a heart, expanding with each pulse. Before too long it was about the size of a man, and then cracked open, releasing a large cloud, which coalesced into a solid object.

"I give you Majin Buu!" Goten declared as the cloud solidified. When it was finished, what floated above the floor of the Arena was a creature roughly man-like in shape, but very pudgy, pink skinned, with troll like ears and a weird tail like appendage at the top of its head and several little holes in it's arms and along it's head. It wore yellow gloves and boots, a black vest with yellow lining and a black belt, a purple cape and white pants with black leggings, and a gold belt buckle with the same stenciled "M" as on Babidi's.

"BUU!!" it cried, and dropped to the floor.

"A GOLEM?!?!" Ami cried, jumping to her feet. Cell was not impressed, and became even less so when Buu began dancing around like he was playing airplane. Goten then pulled a necklace with a hollow ivory heart on it with a garnet colored square cut round stone in its center from his pocket and put it on.

"See this, Buu! It is the amulet that animates you! I control it, and therefor you! I am your master!" Goten decreed, and Buu stared at it for only a moment.

"You master! You!" the Golem cried happily and bowed.

-----------

"What?!" Babidi blinked, checking his pockets. "Why that little..."

"Yes, **master**, I took it!" Goten said on the crystal ball. "Now I am your master, and you are the **slave**!"

-----------

Goten chuckled merrily to himself, pleased beyond measure. Buu stood and awaited a command. Cell, still not impressed, walked over and stood toe to toe with Buu.

"Do you really think that **this** can defeat me?" he asked, and at that moment Trunks blinked and jumped to his feet.

"Hey, I'm cured!" he cried, making Pilaf's eyes pop out of his head.

"Oh, yeah, he's a Saiyan," Michelle said.

"Agreed," 18 added. "Only they have ever recovered from Goblin venom that fast." Trunk ignored them, staring down at the arena before him. Somehow, he **had** to save Rini and Bra! He just had to! But were they even still alive?

"Buu, destroy that Chimera!" Goten commanded, and Buu looked right at Cell.

"Spare me," Cell said, and threw a fist, which Buu dodged without trying.

"Miss me!" Buu cheered, and Cell threw another punch, and Buu dodged just as effortlessly. "Miss again!" Buu then got an evil leer on his face, and pulled back his fist. "Now you drop dead!" he cried, and threw the punch right into Cell, who shattered apart from the blow. He flew everywhere!! In moments there was nothing left of Cell but guts and body parts all over the Arena.

"We win," Goten said smugly. "Now I, a simple mortal, rule the Fair Folk."

"Never!!!" Tien roared. "This Trial is now in violation of all rules and standings! There **is** no winner!"

"Agreed!" Piccolo bellowed. The rest of the Kings and Queens growled their assent.

"How can you stop me? My Golem can kill every last one of you, can't you, Buu?" Goten sneered, and glanced at Buu, who was watching Trunks lift Rini gingerly up.

"Rini, please be alive," he said. "Please...I love you." Rini coughed, and her eyes opened slowly. She looked up at the boy holding her.

"I love you, too, Trunks," she smiled.

"My champion lives!" Rei cried. Just then some light coughing came from Bra, Pan, Ves-Ves, and Kelly, each of whom pulled themselves up a bit to see Trunks in the Arena, the remains of Cell, and the presence of Buu.

"What's that thing?" Kelly asked.

"Me Buu!" Buu answered. Suddenly its belly rumbled lightly. "Ooh, me hungry. Me eat these ones, yes?" he asked Goten.

"Eat?" Goten blinked. By that point Jun-Jun was starting to wake up as well.

"A Golem?" Jun-Jun blinked. "Oh, that's balanced!"

"How do we kill that?" Kelly asked.

"We don't," Jun-Jun answered. "Golem's aren't alive. The only way to nullify it is to destroy the talisman animating it." Everyone looked at her funny, so she added, "I do have some education in the magical arts."

"Talisman, huh?" Trunks said. "Like the necklace Goten's wearing to control it?" They all looked at Goten, who broke into a nervous sweat. "Yeah, you said, 'It is the amulet that animates you.' That's Buu's weak point!" _Crap, he remembers!_ Goten thought.

"Hey, your majesty, how would you like a pet Golem?" Garlic asked.

"Sounds like fun," Piccolo smiled. "Get me that amulet!"

"Marron..." 18 said.

"Mai..." Rei intoned.

"Step ahead of you, boss!" the named fairies chimed.

"Come on, Shiao!" Mai added, and she and the fox demon hopped to, Marron zipping forward as well.

"Dabura!" Beryl snapped, and Dabura leapt forward toward Goten.

"Majin Buu! Help me!" Goten snapped as the two Fairies, two Goblins, fox demon, and demon came towards him.

"You turn into cookies!" Buu cried, and flipped his head tail forward, a beam of energy shooting toward his new victims. Dabura and Marron dodged at the last moment, but Garlic, Pilaf, Shiao and Mai weren't so lucky. Nailed by the beam, they transformed...into life size sugar cookies! Buu then flew up and grabbed all four, shoving them into his mouth. In moments he'd chewed them up and swallowed!

"Aaahhh!!" Rei shrieked despite herself.

"Mmm, yummy!" Buu said happily.

"Oh, man, what do we do?!" Kelly screamed, trying to disappear into the wall.

-----------

"What are you waiting for?! Bring the remaining champions away from the Arena and back here already!" Bulma snapped.

"Why should I do that?" Babidi asked.

"We'll pay you anything, please!" Serenity snapped.

"Including sparing your life!" Vegeta and Endymion intoned.

"Hmm, anything?" Babidi asked. "Even your little girl's hand in marriage?"

"You want to marry Rini?" Serenity blinked.

"You want to marry Bra?" Bulma blinked as well.

"No, no, the girl in your arms, Serenity," Babidi said. "I've grown quite fond of her in the last few hours since we met."

"Chibi-Chibi?!" Serenity shrieked.

"You're out of your mind!" Endymion snapped, pulling his blade. Vegeta and Bulma just stared at the Troll in shock at his request.

"Kill me, and they'll never get back," Babidi said. Endymion gritted for a moment, then sighed.

"Fine, she's yours if that's what you really want," he grunted. Serenity felt herself go numb. Chibi-Chibi just stared around, confused about what they were talking about.

"Thank you," Babidi said, and snapped his fingers.

-----------

The remaining champions pulled themselves to their feet along with Trunks, unsure of what to do about Buu, who just sat there humming to himself. Goten was chuckling joyfully. The rest of the Fair Folk and Dabura were hanging back, afraid of sharing Garlic, Pilaf, Shiao, and Mai's fates.

"You see! As long as I control Buu, no one can touch me!!" he cried. Behind him, Marron crept up to him quietly, hoping to grab the amulet away when he wasn't looking. At that time Buu walked up to Kelly and stared at him.

"Please, don't hurt me," Kelly begged, knowing 17 would have words with him later, if he survived!

"Buu," Buu said, and walked away to look at Jun-Jun, who had just pulled herself out of the wall.

"Uhhh," she froze.

"You cute," Buu said. "You date Buu?"

"I think I'm underage," Jun-Jun stammered. Buu just smiled at her. Suddenly a vortex opened in the middle of the Arena. As everyone turned to look at it, Marron grabbed the necklace and tore it from Goten's neck, shocking him.

"Hey!" he managed to cry, but Marron just chuckled.

"Now it's 18's!" she cried, but a pink hand appeared and grabbed it from her.

"I think not," Dabura said.

"Give that back!" Marron snapped, and she tried to pry it from his hand, as did Goten who jumped in.

"Bring it to me, Dabura!" Beryl commanded. "At last, the Council of the Fair is mine forever!"

"Me make you chocolate," Buu said, appearing in her face. "Or maybe cheese!"

"What?!" Beryl cried in terror.

"Beryl!!" Dabura snapped, and crushed the amulet in his hands. Buu's eyes went wide, and he suddenly began to melt away.

"Buu...fall...part..." he said, heavily strained, and then flopped to the ground, a simple pile of clay.

"Uh, oh," Goten said, then jumped into the air, curled into a ball, and dropped into the vortex with a cry of, "CANNONBALL!" The remaining champions stared at the vortex.

"Bye!" Jun-Jun said, ran forward, and dived in! Without a word, Kelly and Bra dashed forward and jumped in as well. To the side, Pan helped Ves-Ves to her feet.

"You okay?" she asked.

"I feel like raw beef," Ves-Ves answered, and indeed she was covered in multiple bruises, scrapes, and cuts from her Cell-induced slide across the ground.

"You look it, too," Pan said, and walked her over to the vortex. "So, you want to go in the swirly thing, or stay with your Queen?" she asked.

"Gee, tough choice! Let's go for it!" Ves-Ves answered, and they jumped in. Trunks and Rini moved over to it, but Rini started to turn back, Trunks grabbing her hand.

"What are you doing?" he asked. "We got to go before they snap out of it!" And in fact, some of the Fair Folk were beginning to recover from Buu's presence and realize what was happening below.

"But Suno...!" Rini cried, staring at the fallen girl.

"I think she's dead," Trunks said. "She hasn't moved a muscle since Cell kicked her."

"We can't just leave her!" Rini said.

"We have no time!" Trunks said, and pulled Rini into the vortex. A moment later, it vanished.

As the varying Fair Folk grunted at this incredible annoyance, Suno finally stirred.

"Is it over?" she asked in a small voice.

"As my champion is the only one still living **in** the Arena," Chiao-Tzu said, "I feel we should agree that I am now leader of the Council until we can reconvene a re-Trial in about... twenty to twenty five years?"

"Fine," 18 slumped into her seat. The others made similar noises of consent.

-----------

In Babidi's lair, Trunks and Rini emerged from the vortex to find Goten, Bra, Jun-Jun, Pan, Kelly, and Ves-Ves already present with the Troll and his other guests. Goten was on the floor, begging Babidi for mercy.

"Please, master, I'm scum! Worthless scum! Have mercy!" he groveled.

"Well, I won't deny that," Babidi said. "But you lost me my precious Majin Buu! Do you have any idea how long I worked on that Golem?!" Before Babidi could rant further, a sword slammed down his center. It was held by Endymion.

"But...you said..." Babidi stuttered.

"I lied," Endymion replied, and Babidi fell dead to the ground. Endymion quietly cleaned and sheathed his sword as the vortex in the room vanished.

"Good form, your majesty," Vegeta commented.

"Thank you."

"Well, Goten, looks like you own this place now," Trunks said.

"Hey, YEAH!" Goten grinned. "I have so much to read and learn..." Bra walked up to Trunks and Rini.

"Are you really my brother?" she asked.

"Uh, huh," Trunks replied.

"Is that really a tail?" Rini asked, pointing to Bra's "belt". In reply, Bra unwound her tail and used it to tickle Rini's cheek, eliciting a surprised, but welcome, giggle. Then another, brown, tail wrapped around it. Bra blinked, and turned to see it attached to Vegeta, whom she saw as just a big, spiked haired man.

"You have a..." she breathed, and Trunks laid his hands on her shoulders.

"Bra, this our dad," he told her, and then pointing to Bulma, "And this is our mom." Bra stared a moment longer, then shed tears of joy. Trunks then turned and took Rini's hand, pointing toward Serenity and Endymion.

"Rini," he said, "These are **your** parents. And that's your baby sister, Chibi-Chibi." Rini stared at them a moment, and Trunks pulled the locket from his pocket, telling her of the identifying picture in the castle.

Chibi-Chibi just stared at her new big sister curiously, and Serenity felt herself break down with joy as she passed Chibi-Chibi to Silver, as did Bulma. The mothers and Endymion dove forward and squeezed their daughters into bear hugs. After a moment of hesitation, as he never really cared to show affection openly, Vegeta hugged Bra as well.

-----------

Many things came to pass after that. Kelly, Jun-Jun, Ves-Ves, and Pan were healed up, and went off to find their own homes together. Suno continued to live with the Ice Fairies, and fought again in the re-Trial, and this time won fairly against a Manticore. Rini and Bra came to know their families, and Rini and Trunks got to know each other more and more over the years. Illumis left the Fire Fairies to be with it's mistress, as it had considered Rini to be so since it hatched seven years prior to his and Rini's meeting Trunks.

And finally, with their lives blooming, it was eventually announced that Rini had accepted an engagement to Trunks(which left Chibi-Chibi, now nine, bitterly jealous for weeks!).

Twice over, love had found a way to save those entwined by it, despite the forces opposing it. For love will always be the strongest force of all.

------------------

And thus endeth the tale! Hope you liked it! (Yeah, I know, that last tiny paragraph was horridly corny, you don't need to say it...) Please review!

Scorpinac


End file.
